Record-breaking downpours from thunderstorms cause flooding across Nova Scotia

By The Canadian Press on July 22, 2023.

HALIFAX – A long procession of intense thunderstorms have dumped record amounts of rain across a wide swath of Nova Scotia, causing flash flooding, road washouts and power outages.

Torrential downpours started Friday afternoon across the Halifax region, dumping more than 200 millimetres of rain in the Hammonds Plains, Bedford and Lower Sackville areas – and there was more rain in the forecast for Saturday. The port city receives about 100 mm of rain during an average month.

Residents in the Halifax region are being warned to stay off the roads, including major highways.

Rainfall warnings remain in effect for central and eastern Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton. And an additional 40 to 100 mm of rain was expected by Saturday night.

Earlier in the day, an evacuation order was issued for people living near the St. Croix River system in central Nova Scotia, where a dam is at risk of being breached.

“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.”

In some areas, submerged streets remain littered with abandoned vehicles. Halifax RCMP said residents shouldn’t leave home unless it’s an emergency.

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.

In the Halifax area, two evacuation centres opened on Friday night. The Beaver Bank Community Centre and East Dartmouth Community Centre will remain open until further notice.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2023.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.