Torrential downpours dumping more than 200 millimetres of rain on Cape Breton prompted a state of emergency across three counties on Saturday. Washed-out roads, widespread power outages, and stranded residents led municipal leaders to urge residents to stay home as emergency response crews worked to clear damaged infrastructure.
Emergency Declared Across Three Counties
A severe rainstorm struck Cape Breton, dumping more than 200 millimetres of precipitation since Friday morning and triggering states of emergency across Victoria, Inverness, and Richmond counties. Representatives from the three counties and the province gathered at an emergency response co-ordination centre on Sunday as municipal leaders assessed widespread infrastructure damage. Some parts of Cape Breton have seen more than 200 millimetres of rainfall since Friday morning.
Port Hawkesbury CAO Terry Doyle described the severity of the weather event from the co-ordination centre, emphasizing the scale of the flooding and structural failures.
We've never experienced anything to this size and effect,
said Terry Doyle, CAO for Port Hawkesbury, N.S. And certainly, that's what I'm being told by others as well.
Terry Doyle, CAO for Port Hawkesbury, N.S.
Doyle spoke Sunday from an emergency response co-ordination centre where representatives from Victoria, Inverness and Richmond counties and the province are gathered. A state of emergency was declared Saturday for those three counties.
Washed-Out Roads and Stranded Residents
The bulk of the physical damage concentrated in Richmond County around Bras d’Or Lake, where aggressive floodwaters washed out numerous roads, bridges, and driveways. Doyle said the bulk of the damage is in Richmond County, around Bras d’Or Lake, where floodwaters have washed out numerous roads, bridges and driveways. Part of the West Bay Road washed out at St. George’s Channel, about 25 kilometres west of St. Peter’s, N.S. Storm damage on Route 4 in Big Pond, Cape Breton, is shown on Saturday. An RCMP vehicle drives through water from a brook that overflowed on Route 4 near South Side River Bourgeois, Richmond County.
Municipal leaders are urging residents to stay home so emergency crews can safely repair infrastructure. Inverness County Warden Bonny MacIsaac echoed that plea, warning drivers that covered roads may be structurally unstable beneath the water.
There was a lot of floodwaters. Nobody wants to run into anything like that. And we're asking [people] not to drive through flooded roads. You might not see that the road is unstable underneath that,
she said Sunday morning.
Bonny MacIsaac, Warden for Inverness County
Anyone who must travel should check provincial road conditions at 511 first, she added. Widespread washouts have left some residents stranded. Amanda Mombourquette, councillor for Richmond County District 4, expressed concern for vulnerable residents cut off from emergency services and essential groceries.
[We're] very concerned about folks who may be in vulnerable situations who are now stranded from access to things like emergency services or the basics of going to get groceries, that kind of thing,
she said.
Amanda Mombourquette, Councillor for Richmond County District 4
Power Outages and Community Support Centers
As of 8:30 a.m. AT Sunday, Nova Scotia Power’s outage map shows that more than 5,000 customers provincewide are without power, primarily in Chéticamp. Coun. Claude Poirier, who represents Chéticamp on Inverness County council, said most of the community is without power.
He said he wasn’t aware of damage or road closures in the area because of the storm. Poirier said the local Legion and fire department have opened up comfort centres so people can charge their devices or have a hot cup of coffee or tea. Cape Breton municipalities have established a toll-free support line at 902-625-7888 for residents to report non-emergency storm issues.
Ongoing Forecasts and Official Guidance
Rainfall warnings remain in effect across Victoria and Cape Breton counties. Environment Canada forecasts an additional 10 to 20 millimetres of rain through Monday morning, with higher localized totals possible. Rainfall warnings are in effect for Victoria and Cape Breton counties, as well as Sydney. Environment Canada says 10 to 20 millimetres of rain are expected from today until Monday morning, with higher amounts possible in some areas.
The damage from the rainfall includes flooding, power outages and washed-out roads. Municipal officials continue to ask people to stay at home to allow crews to repair roads.
