Search continues for 4 missing people as Nova Scotia grapples with flooding fallout | CBC News
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Four people, including two children, a youth and a man, are still missing in Nova Scotia, about a day after search for them began, RCMP say.
Two separate searches started in the West Hants area of the province early Saturday after two vehicles became submerged in floodwaters.
Three of five people were able to escape one vehicle, leaving two children missing, and two of four people were able to escape another, leaving a man and youth missing.
On Sunday morning, Nova Scotia RCMP spokesperson Cindy Bayers said finding them is top of mind and that extra resources have been added to support these efforts.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has said the search will continue as long as necessary.
Much of the province has been dealing with severe flooding and impassable roads after torrential downpours swept in overnight Friday and into Saturday.
A provincewide state of emergency was declared late Saturday, with West Hants, East Hants, the Halifax Regional Municipality, Lunenburg County and Queens County considered among the hardest hit areas.
Bayers told CBC News that the best source for the latest road conditions is 511, both by phone and online.
Flooding advisories remain in effect for Highway 101, 102, 103, 107, 111 and 118.
Bayers said drivers should exercise caution and be alert while driving.
She said officers are continuing to check conditions on the province’s highway and respond to any calls of people in need of help.
As of 9 a.m. AT Sunday, Nova Scotia Power’s outage map shows there are about 7,000 customers without electricity, down from a peak of 70,000 at the height of the storm.
Emergency evacuation order lifted in West Hants
Early Sunday, Windsor and West Hants Regional Municipality Mayor Abraham Zebian said that all emergency evacuations in the area have been lifted.
A risk of a possible dam breach near the St. Croix area of the municipality had raised concern Saturday, but has since been brought under control.
Zebian said water levels are dropping, and that municipal infrastructure is OK, but provincial infrastructure is badly damaged, with washed out roads, shoulders and bridges.
People are now able to return to their homes, but only if it’s safe to do so, he said.
An evacuation order for people living around Fancy Lake near Bridgewater, N.S., remains in effect.
Across the province, the floods have resulted in a rash of cancellations and postponements for key events.
Sunday’s Halifax Pride parade has been postponed by organizers. It will be rescheduled at a later date.
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