Nova Scotia floods inflict damage; Four individuals missing

As reported by Reuters, on Saturday, officials reported four people missing, including two children, as a result of the catastrophic weather event.

The storm began on Friday and brought more than 25 cm (10 inches) of rainfall to certain areas within a 24-hour period, an amount typically seen in three months. The floods that ensued washed away roads, compromised bridges, and inundated buildings, leaving behind a trail of devastation.

“We have a scary, significant situation,” said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, adding that at least seven bridges would have to be replaced or rebuilt.

“The property damage to homes … is pretty unimaginable,” he told a news conference. Houston said the province would be seeking significant support from the federal government.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters in Toronto he was very concerned about the floods and promised that Ottawa “will be there” for the province.

The flooding was the latest weather-related calamity to pound Canada this year. Wildfires have already burned a record number of hectares, sending clouds of smoke into the United States. Earlier this month, heavy rains caused floods in several eastern US states, Reuters reported.

Halifax, the largest city in Nova Scotia, and four other regions have been placed under a state of emergency by the authorities due to the ongoing situation. The regional municipality in Halifax reported substantial damage to roads and infrastructure, advising residents to remain at home and avoid using their vehicles.

Social media images from Halifax depicted abandoned cars nearly submerged in floodwaters, with rescue workers utilizing boats to rescue people in distress.

According to the police in Houston, two children were reported missing after their car got submerged in water. In a separate incident, a man and a youth were also reported missing when their vehicle drove into deep waters.

At one point, more than 80,000 people were without power.

Environment Canada is predicting torrential rain in the eastern part of the province, continuing into Sunday.

“People should not assume that everything is over. This is a very dynamic situation,” Halifax Mayor Mike Savage told the press conference, saying the city had been hit by “biblical proportions of rain.”

According to Canadian Broadcasting Corp meteorologist Ryan Snoddon, the rainfall in Halifax was the most intense since the city experienced a hurricane in 1971.

During the early hours of Saturday, authorities in northern Nova Scotia issued an evacuation order for residents due to concerns that a dam near the St. Croix River system might overflow. However, they later rescinded the evacuation order, Reuters reported.

Updated: 23 Jul 2023, 07:38 AM IST