Cheticamp River flooding forces campground evacuation

A campground in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park had to be evacuated Saturday night when rain caused river waters to rise quickly.

A torrential downpour early in the evening caused the Cheticamp River to rise without warning.

People in the area said the heavy rainfall lasted between two and three hours.

One camper said the water inside his tent went from ankle-height to waist-height in just a few minutes.

When the waters rose, Parks Canada quickly evacuated the campground. Nearly 70 people spent the night at the local fire hall and about 30 RVs set up camp in the parking lot at the local arena.

No one was hurt and the waters have receded but the campground suffered some damage due to washouts and is closed until further notice.