'Igor' creates havoc in eastern communities

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland (AP):

Hurricane Igor pelted eastern Canada with heavy rain yesterday, flooding communities, washing out roads and stranding some residents in their homes. In the Pacific, a mild tropical storm formed and was expected to cross the Mexican resort area of Baja, California, later in the day.

Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch for Igor on the coast of Newfoundland, on Canada's eastern coast.

"This is not your normal heavy rainfall flooding. It's having a major impact," said Chris Fogarty, of the Canadian Hurricane Centre. He said more than 200 millimetres (eight inches) of rain have already fallen in some regions in the past few hours.

Dennis Shea of the province's Emergency and Fire Services office said several communities have been cut off by high water and, in some cases, boats have been used to rescue people from their own homes. At least three towns, Clarenville, Marystown and Terrenceville, declared states of emergency because of localised flooding that made roads impassable.