Ice storm overwhelms swath of New Brunswick: ‘People are definitely anxious’
FREDERICTON — New Brunswickers have been warned it will be days before life returns to normal in parts of the province after a messy ice storm that snapped power poles, strained trees, and has left tens of thousands in the dark.
“When you’re driving on the streets, you’re manoeuvring around trees at every turn,” Miramichi Mayor Adam Lordon said Thursday afternoon. “People are definitely anxious, but they understand that the challenge at hand is immense.”
Communities surrounding Miramichi, one of the hardest hit areas, were covered in a thick layer of ice that weighed heavy on tree branches and downed power and telephone poles, more than a day after a blustery mix of freezing rain, ice pellets and strong winds moved through the Maritimes.
One resident described an atmosphere of panic and a row of roughly 50 cars waiting for the pumps at a gas station in Chatham, with many others driving seemingly aimless throughout surrounding communities in search of open businesses.