His wife is trapped in a flooded campground while he's left cleaning up the Watford, Ont. home

A retired couple living in Watford Ont. has been separated by this week's flash flooding with one left bailing out awet basement, and the other trapped in a nearby campground where a river washed out a bridge.

Gary and Charlene Tait are among the many residents in Middlesex and Lambton counties, southwest of London, that saw more than135 millimetres of rain fall on Wednesday night in what Environment Canada calls a once-in-a-century weather event.

It led to waist-deep water pooling in the streets of Glencoe and Watford, the closure of the 402 highway, and a three-metre-deep sinkhole that killed a 59-year-old driver on a road outside of Glencoe.

"There was enough water for everybody," said Gary Tait from his home on John Street in Watford where 35 centimetresof water destroyed his finished basement. "It's frustrating. I just retired a little over a year ago, so this is just something else to be annoyed by."

Meantime, his wife is stuck in the couple's trailer 16 km away at the AW Campbell Conservation Area in Alvinstonwith approximately 30 other campers.

The conservation area had to closewhen the reservoirrose so high that the bridge flooded, preventing vehicles from entering or exiting.

"The canoes that were lined up along the hill were all gone, floatingout into the lake somewhere. Our pool overflowed. There was so much rain," Charlene said."We're like a little community out here. We help each other out. But it was pretty scary."

The park staff have been helpful in keeping the campers supplied and up-to-date, she said, though she regrets that she can't be home to help with basement repairs.

"That upsets me," Charlene said, "but there is nothing we can do about it."

The municipality of Warwick Township, which includes Watford, is still tallying up the total damage to its infrastructure, said mayor Todd Case Friday. As well as flooded roads and properties, a portion of Zion Line buckled from being covered with water.

"This is the biggest [weather] event affecting everybody in our community," said Case. "It's going to cost thousands of dollars. We're still trying to obviously put a total on it, but it will be significant for a community of our size."

An emergency declaration is in place for the township as crews work to repair the damage. Middlesex has not declared a state of emergency but the town of Glencoe has asked the province for financial support.

"My heart goes out to all those impacted by the storm," said the area's MPPMonte McNaughton. "We stand with the residents ...and will support them as they get back on their feet. All hands are on deck."