HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1996-06-26, Page 4Jame -Lyn Bonl acs
and Kris Schenk,
watch the water ri:
while standing unc
neath a lamp post
the corner of Main
and Anne Streets
small lake stretch
from the lights or
ron Street to the ti
of the Bayberry Ca
reaching waist-heil
level. Max the dog
shown at left, waa
through three feet
water to rouse his
owners Gerry anc
Shawna Clarke. Gi
was able to reach
daughter laying in
crib before water
els presented a di
ger. A barrel of flo
ers floating in the
middle of Main St
posed a hazard tc
motorists until an
known passerby,
and from bottom
pulled it out. Hopi
ly riding on an ai
mattress on Anne
Street is a once-ir
lifetime experienc
for Perry Weido,
shown bottom lef
Takir
toth
By Rosa
T -A Re
EXETER - On July 24
and five to l0 inches of
Exeter area within two hot
South Huron Hospit
among the hardest hit 1
with damage estimated i
of $200,000.
It was a frightening
Marjorie Benneweis of
who was in the pharma
when the water began to
First it was ankle deep, IN
rose to higher than her v
the time hospital staff wet
throw in a fire hose and p
safety.
Pour days later, the host
still witbotrt full electrical
was under water, only one
tion and windows were of
flood water and propane
The hospital remained c
Page 2
Times -Advocate, June 26, 1996
Flood dev
built to accommodate the amount
of ram that fell in such a short
urne.
"The problem is that the lay of
the land in Exeter is such that we
get so 'Nish corning out of Us -
borne," said Hoogenboom. "The
whole system is just saturated with
debris. There's no system large
enough to accommodate all that."
Crop damage
After the worries of a late spring
and delayed planting, area farmers
and agriculture businesses have
been hit with more headaches due
to the flood.
Visscher Farms, near Dashwood
on Highway 83, has lost at least 25
acres of potatoes that were recently
replanted as well as five to 10 acres
of broccoli, that have suffered
through a wet spring. Bert Visscher
expects he'll lose some soybeans as
well because many of them are un-
der water.
Although the Hay Swamp area
didn't receive as much water as Ex-
eter, riverbanks are overflowing
into a nearby dump and then onto
r
•
It just kind of sn
field like a river,"
adding because pa
been flooded, it m
to replant around g
Visscher is es
about his broccoli
have been wash
zone.
"We're having
with that," he said.
Although most
are insured, the pl•
for insurance was
peering it will be a
fore he'll get into
cher remains optimi
"We'll just take
time. We're not go
us down."
Exeter Produce w
by tlood waters.
"We've got quite
der water," said Fi
Dennis Aarts.
Although the co
Dashwood appear
he added, produce
Highway 83 and
•
1
•
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Page 2
Times -Advocate, June 26, 1996
Flood devastates area hor
built to accommodate the amount
of ram that fell in such a short
time.
"The problem is that the lay of
the land in Exeter is such that we
get so mh coming out of Os-
borne," said Hoogenboom. "The
whole system is just saturated with
debris. There's no system large
enough to accommodate all that."
Crop damage
After the won -Ws of a late spring
and delayed planting, area farmers
and agriculture businesses have
been hit with more headaches due
to the flood.
Visscher Farms, near Dashwood
on Highway 83, has lost at least 25
acres of potatoes that were recently
replanted as well as five to 10 acres
of broccoli, that have suffered
through a wet spring. Bert Visscher
expects he'll lose some soybeans as
well because many of them are un-
der water.
Although the Hay Swamp area
didn't receive as much water as Ex-
eter, riverbanks are overflowing
into a nearby dump pnd then onto
It just kind of snakes through my
field like a river," said Visscher,
adding because patchy areas have
been flooded, it makes it difficult
to replant around growing crops.
Visscher is especially worried
about his broccoli since chemicals
have been washed into the root
zone.
"We're having a real problem
with that," he said.
Although most of his potatoes
are insured, the planting deadline
for insurance was June 15. Ex-
pecting it will be another week be-
fore he'll get into the fields, Viss-
cher remains optimistic.
"We'll just take it one day at a
time. We're not going to let it get
us down."
Exeter Produce was also affected
by tlood waters.
"We've got quite a few fields un-
der water," said Field Coordinator
Dennis Aarts.
Although the company's fields in
Dashwood appeared undamaged,
he added, produce planted between
Highway 83 and Crediton was
flooded in low areas.
"Any of our crops are being
slightly affected from it," he said."
It is too early to gauge how much
crop damage the recent wet weath-
er has caused Nabisco Brands Ltd.,
but the next 10 days will be telling,
with the most impact expected on
pea and sweetcorn harvests.
"We suspect there is some im-
pact on our crops," said Terry
Bourne, of Nabisco.
Some local farmers were hit hard
by the storm.
"We can't get on the field be-
cause it's so muddy," said Exeter
area farmer Gerald Dearing.
Although he thinks his foot -high
corn will survive, he's concerned
about the soy beans that were ready
for spraying and especially his
white beans that were recently
planted.
"I walked to the bean field this
morning but it's just like soup," he
said, adding water has washed
across the fields, carrying away
loose soil and seeds along with
chemicals. This will create a prob-
lem with weeds later in the season.
Although Dearing has crop in-
surance, the deadline for replanting
is July 1, a date arriving too quick-
ly for farmers with wet fields.
"I doubt if we can get them plant-
ed by the first of July because it's
too wet," he said.
Crop Insurance
June 15 is the planting deadline
for potatoes and July I is the dead-
line for all other crops. Jim Zavitz,
a district coordinator at a Komoka
OMAFRA office, has received 35
calls from the Exeter area due to
Thursday's flood and some have
not yet planted soybeans and white
beans.
"Everyone's kind of in a wait- -
and see situation," he said, es-
timating it will be a week before
farmers get back on the land.
"It really does depend on the
weather," he said, explaining the in-
surance falls under the excessive
rainfall category.
If an extension were to be made
on insurance deadlines, he added, it
would be up to the crop insurance
commission.
Insurance
According to Jon Gaiser, of Gais-
er-Kneale Insurance Brokers Inc.,
home owners who have insurance
that includes sewer back-up and
water damage are covered. How-
ever, flood insurance is rare and
usually purchased only by large
chain stores such as Canadian Tire.
He added there is no such thing as
an 'act of God' clause in insurance
policies and compared the popular-
ity of flood insurance in this area
More coverage
on page 3
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