Canada: Emergency declared in Nova Scotia province after heavy rains cause floods

Heavy rainfall on Canada’s east coast prompted authorities to declare a province-wide state of emergency late Saturday evening to limit travel to the affected areas, free up more response staff and get time to restore critical infrastructure.

Four people went missing after intense thunderstorms dumped record amounts of rain across a wide swath of Nova Scotia over the past two days.

The floods submerged multiple vehicles, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman Cindy Bayers said two such incidents in West Hants north of Halifax have left two adults and two children unaccounted for as of Saturday morning.

The two children went missing after the vehicle they were travelling in got stuck underwater, Bayers said, noting the three other occupants were able to escape safely.

Two other individuals, who Bayers described as a youth and a man, remain unaccounted for following a separate vehicle submersion. Two other people in that vehicle were rescued, she said, adding police are actively searching for all four missing people.

Torrential downpours started on Friday afternoon across the Halifax region, dumping more than 200 millimeters of rain in some areas. The port city typically receives about 90-100 mm of rain during an average July.

Based on radar estimates and unofficial observations, Environment Canada said on Saturday that some areas may have received more than 300 mm in 24 hours. Radar maps show the heaviest rainfall extending along the province’s southwestern shore to a point north of Halifax.

Widespread flooding has also been reported in Lunenberg County, which is west of the Halifax region.

On Friday night, water levels rose so fast in the Bedford area that volunteers with Halifax Search and Rescue were using small boats to rescue people from inundated homes.

In the Hammonds Plains area, northwest of the city, flooding washed out driveways and the shoulders of many roads.

That’s the same area where 151 homes and businesses were destroyed by a wildfire that started on May 28, forcing evacuations that affected 16,000 residents.

(With inputs from agencies)

Updated: 23 Jul 2023, 08:13 PM IST