By Trelle Burdeniuk

Roche Percee picking up pieces after flood

Jul 10, 2011 | 2:49 PM

The water may be almost gone, but the clean-up has just begun in the town of Roche Percee.

Some homes in the community flooded so badly there was seven feet of water on main floors.

Mayor Sharon Wells said most roads are now passable, but some people are in disbelief about the mess left behind.

“If you look at the pictures on TV after a hurricane or a tornado, that's what the insides of their homes look like. Their deep freeze that was in the porch is now in the living room on top of the television set. The fridge is upside down,” she said, describing the situation in some homes.

Right now people are pumping out basements and trying to salvage what they can. Wells pointed out the clean-up will be massive and many people are starting from scratch.

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She also said Roche Percee is changing as people decide to not return.

“Some (people) have already bought elsewhere. Some would like to come back. We don't know if they will be allowed to move back in there because even though there were the dikes and the dams built, it's now a flood plain once again.”

Wells said while the immediate worry of flooding is over, the fear of more water is never far from people's minds.

“Everytime we see a raincloud we shudder because the water has just nicely gotten off our streets.”

Currently some people from Roche Percee are staying in trailers in the nearby town of Bienfait. The Bienfait rink is open 24-hours a day to provide food and showers.

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