Gjoa Haven residents still feeling the impact of multi-day power outage at -25 | CBC News
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Power may be back on in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, but some residents say they’re still struggling with lingering effects from the outage.
Peggy Pooyatak is on a hot water heating system, which she believes was damaged during a community-wide power outage that started on Wednesday.
Electricity was restored to the community on Saturday, but two days later, Pooyatak discovered she no longer had heat or running water.
“The only heat I can put on was the oven, I left it on for a few hours … just so the kids can stay warm,” she said.
She’s not the only one in the community facing issues with her home. The Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Cecile Nelvana Lyall, says at least 34 units in Gjoa Haven have plumbing damage after the power outage.
She says the housing agency is working on getting plumbers into the community, and oil burner mechanics for any households without heat – but that’s all weather dependent.
The community has been hit with multiple blizzards over the past few days, and there’s another warning as of Monday afternoon. It’s warmer than it has been compared to last week, though temperatures are still hovering around -25 C.
Lyall acknowledges the territorial government needs to proactively plan for these types of emergency situations, and she said her department is committed to that cause.
“As a corporation, we’re really learning from how we can better, and more quickly, address these types of issues going forward, and to ensure these impacts aren’t felt over a long period of time,” she said.
The hamlet declared a state of emergency on Thursday evening. A warming centre at the high school is still open during the day, though officials are still asking people to take in other residents who may be experiencing frozen pipes.
Residents have already been running into trouble with getting water after a major leak was detected in a water line on Jan. 15. The federal assistance approved Saturday includes the official deployment of the Canadian Rangers to help with delivery of water and other essential supplies.
As for Pooyatak, she realizes there isn’t likely to be a quick fix for her.
“I believe there’s not much we can do, just wait, just wait.”