Nova Scotia is in shock from a historic flooding event after significant rainfall swept over the province this weekend.
The heaviest rain fell across Liverpool in Queens County, through Lunenburg County, then across to northwest Halifax County and into Hants County.
Preliminary numbers showed rainfall totals in this area ranging from 100-250 or more millimeters of rain as of 10am Sunday.
As a result, rivers and streams were overflowing and numerous road washouts have been reported.
This appears to be the heaviest rainfall event for Halifax since Hurricane Beth in 1971.
Four people — including two children and a youth — have been reported missing in the West Hants area after the vehicles they were traveling in became submerged in floodwaters.
RCMP say two separate searches started early Saturday at the height of the storm.
In the first incident, 3 out of the 5 people were rescued from the submerged vehicle, but two children are still unaccounted for.
A man and a youth are also missing after the vehicle they were in was submerged. Two of the four occupants of that vehicle were rescued.
In a news release Sunday afternoon, RCMP said its underwater recovery team conducted a search of a flooded field and “located an unoccupied pickup truck,” which is believed to be the same one the two children were last seen in.
RCMP are also continuing their search for the adult man and a youth whose vehicle also became submerged in the same area.
As search and rescue operations continue Sunday, police say industrial pumping equipment is being used, with help from civilian contractors, in an attempt to lower water levels.
Police will not say where the search is being conducted as they do not want civilians to interfere.
As a result of these events Nova Scotia has declared a province-wide State of Emergency.
The state of emergency will:
— limit travel in heavily impacted areas
— allow the deployment of key human and physical assets to aid in the response and recovery
— facilitate the coordinated restoration of impacted critical infrastructure
The state of emergency will remain in effect for 14 days, until August 5th, unless government terminates or extends it.
The province held a ceremony on Friday to mark the last section of the newly twinned stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway 104 was nearing completion. The final 12.5 kilometers between French River and Barneys River is expected to open to motorists this week.
Peter Fraser, chief of Thorburn Fire Department, said it will ease some of the stress of first responders in the area to get to emergencies more quickly.
Const. Kurt Butler with the Pictou County RCMP said “As soon as the twinning of this highway is open to the public, it will no doubt save lives.”
Construction started May 6, 2020, and the project is on time and on budget.
Canada Post is advising customers that it has issued a red service alert for the province of Nova Scotia due to severe flooding in the region.
As of this morning, collection and delivery operations are on hold in Nova Scotia until the company can better evaluate safe areas for delivery.
Post offices will be closed for the day and mail will not be delivered.
Canada Post continues to assess the situation and options to best serve the people of Nova Scotia and keep them connected.
As they do that, the safety of employees is their number one priority.
They thank all Nova Scotians for their patience during this difficult period for the province. They will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.
