Week of blizzards leaves shelves bare in some Nunavut stores
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 | 7:52 AM CT
CBC News
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A succession of blizzards over the last week in Nunavut's Kivalliq region has left grocery store shelves nearly bare in at least three communities.
Stores in Rankin Inlet, Whale Cove and Baker Lake have dwindling stock, especially fresh produce. That's because a persistent low-pressure system stirring up snow and strong winds has grounded airplanes, including cargo planes, across the region for the past week.
The last air cargo delivery to Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake was on Jan. 14. Due to the bad weather, no shipment has arrived since, said Allan Hart, manager of the Northern store in Baker Lake.
"We normally receive two shipments of fresh food a week, which, you know, is produce, milk, breads. We receive them on Mondays and Thursdays," Hart told CBC News on Monday afternoon.
"So obviously we didn't get the Thursday shipment. That left us with all of our perishables, milk, produce and breads — until we receive something either today or tomorrow — completely empty."
Martha Teenar, a cashier at the Issatik Co-op in Whale Cove, said her store is out of most staple items. As well, she said, little is left on the store shelves and freezer.
"We're completely out of milk — Carnation and two per cent," Teenar said Monday at noon.
"There's completely no bread. No frozen food either, frozen meat, frozen juice … eggs and cigarettes."
Hart's store was scheduled for a shipment Monday afternoon and two more Tuesday. The Whale Cove and Rankin Inlet stores are also expecting shipments as soon as the weather improves enough for airplanes to land.
The blizzards over the past week have also halted mail service in affected communities, as well as stranded air travellers going to and from the region.
But the weather has yet to let up. Blizzards have closed all three schools and banks in Rankin Inlet on Tuesday. Nunavut government offices, the local Nunavut Arctic College campus and Ayaya Daycare are closed Tuesday morning, with residents advised to listen to the radio at noon for further updates.
Quluaq School in Clyde River is also closed due to a blizzard on Tuesday.
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