Bridges, roads and culverts in Meat Cove, N.S., were washed out in the weekend deluge. (CBC)

About 100 people in a remote Nova Scotia community remained stranded Monday night after a devastating weekend rainstorm washed out the only road in and out of Meat Cove.

The small community has been cut off from the rest of Cape Breton Island since early Sunday, when high winds and heavy rains washed out bridges, roads and culverts.

Residents have turned their community hall into a command post and comfort centre for several dozen visitors. A local restaurant has been feeding tourists for free.

"We're just devastated here in the community," said local resident Derrick MacLellan. "We totally lost our beach. We had a number of buildings out there and they're totally out in the ocean."

Car washed away

Two German tourists had a narrow escape when their car was washed away while they were parked at the beach. A wall of water rushed down a brook and took out the car and several buildings.

"Just in front of the car was a small red hut, and we thought it would be safe, the car, if it was pushed against it," said Sandra Kolb. "But then suddenly the hut broke down, and there was nothing anymore, so I guess at that point we gave up and just tried to save our lives."

"The car just went with the flow," said MacLellan. "They were very, very lucky that they got up the side of the cliff or they would've lost their lives as well."

Some tourists left their cars behind in the community and will return for them when the roads are repaired. (CBC) No homes were lost, but some are now without drinking water. There have been no reports of food or water shortages in the stranded community.

The Canadian Red Cross is providing cots, blankets, bottled water and personal-care items to the community, after receiving a request from local emergency management officials.

The organization said the goods were being transferred from Sydney to the nearest access point by road Monday, and would then be delivered by boat.

It is expected to be several days before a temporary bridge can be put in place. In the meantime, local fishermen are bringing in supplies by boat and assisting people who need to leave the community.

Nova Scotia Deputy Premier Frank Corbett arrived in Meat Cove by boat Monday afternoon to assess the damage, along with officials from the provincial office for emergency management.

"We're here to see it ourselves," Corbett said. "To talk to the folks and see what we can get done and find out actually from the experts when we can get life back to normal for everybody," he said.

Officials said they plan to use helicopters in case of a medical emergency, as there are no health facilities in the community.

"The main thing is to try to make sure that the people in here are … safe, and if we have to move them, we'll move them," said George Muise of the Emergency Management Office.

Eight guests from the Hines Ocean View Lodge were ferried out by boat on Monday, owner Hector Hines said. The guests left their cars behind and will come back for them when the roads are repaired, Hines said.

"We were looking forward to a good tourist season," he said. "Hopefully, they can get this road back open again and get the tourist season kicked back in for us. If we lose the tourism business here in Meat Cove, it's going to be a lot of people on welfare."

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