The Municipality of Pontiac just can’t seem to get a break when it comes to avoiding the wrath of Mother Nature.
Not that long ago I was sitting down to write a similar editorial in the aftermath of the severe flooding last spring.
This time, instead of an engorged river, it was winds gusting up over 200 km/h that laid waste to parts of the region, flattening trees and tearing apart homes like matchsticks.
Unlike last year’s floodwaters, this storm hit and was gone in a matter of minutes, like some kind of horrible nightmare. Residents scarcely had time to seek refuge in their basements, let alone protect their property.

As my colleague and I toured the affected region on Saturday morning, we were taken aback by the extent of the destruction.
Lawns strewn with shingles and tar paper, trees snapped in half, it looked like something out of a movie. Even more surreal was how random the destruction seemed. Some properties appeared relatively unscathed, while just a few hundred metres down the street homes were being written off.
But, just like their last tribulation, the people of the Pontiac came together in the wake of disaster.
All Saturday morning, chainsaws were roaring and workers were swarming around Breckenridge, patching roofs and clearing debris from the roads. Neighbours worked alongside neighbours to untangle trampolines and lawn furniture from the brush.
Municipal workers and emergency crews were working around the clock to get vital infrastructure back in order.
Despite all the horrific material losses inflicted on Pontiac residents, we can all be thankful that no one was seriously injured. Considering the winds were strong enough to separate roofs from houses, that’s miraculous.
Thanks to all who pitched in where they could to help out their fellow Pontiacers, but the battle for this community is far from over.
Though they might be out of danger for now, the people in Breckenridge will be trying to put their lives back together for quite some time.

Caleb Nickerson