East Bridgewater yards flooded after dam breaks in Halifax
EAST BRIDGEWATER - Several East Bridgewater residents woke up Friday to something they've never seen before, their homes surrounded by water on Robbins Road.
"It was up another two feet, in 30minutes up another two feet," said Lisa Jazon who rushed to get sandbags around her property but was too late. "The air conditioning unit and an oil tank outside has no damage that we can tell, but we haven't turned them on since they're surrounded by water," said Jazon.
Water got into Chris Hill's home damaging flooring and furniture as he also watched the water steadily rise. "It goes from the back and all the way into a bedroom in the basement."
The problem is a 20-foot section of an earthen dam upriver in Halifax gave way sending water rushing and inundating the homes around vehicles, through yards, and even threatening to compromise a causeway that's being stressed by the water.
"If the culvert underneath lets go and washes away, there's no stopping this water now," said East Bridgewater Fire Chief Timothy Harhen.
One resident took to his canoe to check the damage and says the water is at least three to four feet higher than usual. He jokes for the first time that freshwater actually has a tide that everyone hopes will soon go out.
Chris Hill says he has to put it in perspective. "Worse things are happening in the world than me getting a new swimming pool in my backyard," he said.
State emergency management and dam safety officials have been called in to help with the situation.