Devastating Floods Hit Nova Scotia After Record Rainfall
July 23, 2023
Nova Scotia, Canada – The East Coast province of Nova Scotia is facing a massive cleanup effort after torrential rainfall caused catastrophic floods. The province experienced the heaviest rain in over 50 years, with some areas receiving more than 25 cm (10 inches) of rain in just 24 hours. The deluge caused widespread damage, washed away roads, swamped buildings, and damaged infrastructure, including a major Canadian National Railway track used to access the port of Halifax.
Search and rescue teams are still looking for four people, including two children, who went missing during the flooding. Tragically, two children were reported missing after the car they were in was submerged, while a man and a youth are missing after their car drove into deep water. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) divers have located an empty pickup truck in a flooded field and believe it to be the vehicle carrying the two missing children.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston described the damage as unimaginable and estimated the cost to be in the “hundreds of millions” of dollars. In response to the devastating floods, Nova Scotia declared a province-wide state of emergency, which will remain in effect until August 5.
The floods also caused extensive damage to infrastructure, with 19 bridges damaged and six completely destroyed. Many roads remain closed, and up to 600 people are still under evacuation orders. Nova Scotia Power reported that around 2,000 customers were without electricity on Sunday, down from a peak of 80,000 during the storms.
One of the most significant impacts of the floods is the damage to a section of CN Rail track, which is crucial for freight trains heading to the Port of Halifax. The Port of Halifax contributes approximately C$4.4 billion ($3.33 billion) to Nova Scotia’s annual economic output. CN Rail has stated that repairs will be delayed until water levels subside.
The flooding in Nova Scotia is the latest in a series of extreme weather events to hit Canada this year. Earlier this year, wildfires set a size record and sent smoke into the United States. In addition, heavy rains caused floods in several eastern U.S. states.
The cleanup and recovery efforts in Nova Scotia are expected to be lengthy and costly. Authorities are urging people to stay away from the search area and exercise caution due to the dangerous conditions caused by the flooding. As the province comes to terms with the scale of the disaster, the community is rallying together to support those affected and begin the process of rebuilding.
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