About 150 residents have been displaced from their homes as flash flooding caused by heavy rain has resulted in a significant amount of damage in the Halifax area.
In a 1 p.m. update from the Halifax Regional Municipality on Saturday, residents were being told to avoid driving as several roads were washed out as cars remain abandoned on streets and highways – resulting in dangerous driving conditions.
“There is a significant amount of damage and residents are advised to stay off the roads,” a release said.
By Friday at 10 p.m., the Halifax Regional Municipality issued an emergency alert, asking drivers to stay off all roads and highways unless it was an emergency.
A torrential downpour, accompanied by persistent thunder and lightning, started around 3:30 p.m. Friday. By 8 p.m., the rain was still coming down in buckets, causing chaos for drivers and homeowners, and continued throughout the night.
In an interview with Motorcycle accident toronto today on Saturday, Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said he’s discussed the developments with Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and the offices for both the Minister of Emergency Preparedness and the Prime Minister.
“We’re going to need some help,” he said. “The people here are strong, resilient … we have been banged around a little bit.”
Savage said he’s asking for people to stay home while first responders complete a clean-up around the municipality.
“We haven’t had all the reports in on whether there’s been injuries or god forbid, fatalities … but as much as possible, stay where you are now. If you need help, reach out for it.”
Premier Tim Houston also released a statement on Saturday afternoon, noting that “there is still the potential for more damage that could cause injury” as rain is expected to continue throughout the weekend.
“We want people to be safe,” he said.
“Right now, the best thing people can do is stay home, monitor weather and news reports and check in on your neighbours who may need assistance.”
The province said that the Emergency Management Office has been activated for the flood response.
“All critical partners, including municipalities, policing agencies, fire and rescue organizations, Nova Scotia Power, Environment and Climate Change Canada, telecommunications companies and others are at the table and supporting impacted communities,” a statement read.
Reports had more than 200 millimetres of rain falling alone for parts of Bedford on Friday evening.
“The amounts of rain received so far has varied dramatically across the province and even within the same county,” Environment Canada said in a statement.
“While the rain could be intermittent throughout (Saturday), occasional torrential downpours and embedded thundershowers could potentially give much higher amounts of rain locally.”
Environment Canada issued advisories for much of the province – but has since ended its rainfall warning for the Halifax area as of Saturday at noon.
Rainfall warnings remain in effect for central and eastern Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton.
Stephen Martin, a fire chief with the municipality, said many roads in the Bedford area are covered in water.
The Bedford Place Mall on Saturday morning.
Skye Bryden-Blom
“And there’s more rain coming,” he said Saturday morning.
Officials in Halifax say the rain has already caused significant damage to roads and infrastructure. In some areas, submerged streets are littered with abandoned vehicles.
Nova Scotia’s emergency system sent out an evacuation order early Saturday morning for residents of the St. Croix area in Hants County due to a dam overflowing.
The city said all emergency flooding calls were currently being directed to Halifax Water at 902.420.9287.
“Call volumes remain high, and residents are asked for their patience,” the release continued.
Halifax’s transit system was also experiencing delays and detours due to extensive road damage.
Two evacuation centres have since opened in the Halifax area for residents experiencing power outages or flooding in their homes.
The Beaver Bank Community Centre on 1583 Beaver Bank Road and the East Dartmouth Community Centre on 50 Caledonia Road in Dartmouth will remain open until further notice, the municipality said.
Police block off a section of the Bedford Highway in front of the community’s mall due to excessive flooding in the area.
Skye Bryden-Blom
Scores of images shared on social media show cars plowing through deep water. And one video from the Windsor Junction area north of Halifax shows firefighters standing on the roof of their submerged pumper truck.
At one point, more than 70,000 homes and businesses were in the dark as lightning strikes knocked out electricity.
Nova Scotia Power, the province’s privately owned electric utility, opened its emergency operations centre at 5 a.m.
Several ongoing events in the city have been postponed or abandoned due to the weather, including the North American Indigenous Games cancelling its closing ceremony on Friday and announcing the closure of its Cultural Village at the Halifax Common on Saturday.
The Halifax Wanderers have rescheduled their Saturday afternoon match to Sunday at 5 p.m.
Environment Canada is forecasting an additional 20 to 30 milimetres of precipitation with a risk of thundershowers on Saturday. The rain is expected to end in the evening.
– With files from the Canadian Press
© 2023 Motorcycle accident toronto today, Toronto Car Accident News.