TROUTY, N.L. — Combat engineers from New Brunswick have erected a temporary bridge across a river in Trouty, one of dozens of communities in eastern Newfoundland damaged by hurricane Igor.

When the hurricane roared through last week, heavy rain transformed Trouty Brook into a raging river that tore apart the town's main bridge, leaving residents on one side of the community isolated.

Within days, a few telephone poles were used to make a footbridge that can carry all-terrain vehicles.

But some residents were running out of supplies by the time the military engineers started working Tuesday morning.

By Tuesday night, troops from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown had built a medium girder bridge strong enough to carry local traffic.

About 1,000 military personnel, three Sea King helicopters and two navy frigates are involved in the relief effort along the Burin and Bonavista Peninsulas.