Quinte region bracing for Sandy

By: Marc Venema

The Quinte region is bracing for a storm that could bring winds up to 90 km/h to the region.

Hurricane Sandy is currently making its way up the U.S eastern seaboard. The category 1 storm is expected to make landfall Monday evening, with Quinte possibly seeing effects of the storm at the same time.

City officials in Belleville are concerned the rain and wind forecasted for the area will cause havoc on city roads and the water system.

“We got crews out today checking all ditches, catch basins, and culverts,” said Pat McNulty, manager of transportation with the City of Belleville. “Cleaning them out, getting ready for the rain.”

McNulty said the fall leaves tend to clog up sewers and other drainages, so the city’s main focus on Monday is to make sure the water can flow properly.

“We are doing what we can to get as much water in the storm systems as we can, make them clear as possible.”

Volunteers with the Quinte branch of the Canadian Red Cross are also on alert..

Kristy Mills, disaster management coordinator, said teams are ready to respond.

“We are prepared as we can be,” Mills said. “This what we do, so this is what we train for and prepare for throughout the year.”

Mills said all supplies needed are already in stock in different warehouses located throughout the province.

She said the local team of volunteers could be called in for help somewhere else in the province or they could be stationed somewhere in the Quinte area. It all depends on which municipalities need assistance.

The brunt of the storm is expected overnight Monday into Tuesday. As of Monday afternoon, CFB Trenton had not cancelled any of its mission or operation flights. Training flights, however, have been cancelled.

Lieutenant Christopher Daniels said the base will take precautions later in the night to protect the fleet of aircrafts.

“We are taking all the aircrafts to all available hangars and those that we cannot put in the hangars, make sure that we fill their fuel tanks so they’ll be heavier and place the aircraft towards the wind.”

Rain is forecasted in the Quinte region for the entire week, until the storm passes on Saturday.

Hurricane Sandy has already been blamed for more than 40 deaths in the Caribbean.