‘A tough couple months’: Flood forces 750 Halifax residents from their homes

As flooding forces hundreds of people in the Halifax-area from their homes, some are taking refuge at a comfort centre in Dartmouth, N.S.

“I was standing in the middle of my driveway, up to my knees in water. Our basement is fully flooded. Our neighbours are flooded out,” said Melanie McWhirter, who lives on Hammonds Plains Road in Bedford.

It’s the second time McWhirter’s home has been evacuated in as many months, having been in one of the secondary evacuation zones during the Tantallon-area fires in May.

She said she was lucky to have only been out of her house for one day during the fires, and as a result she was ready when the fire department knocked on her door with a 10-minute evacuation warning this time around.

“It’s been a tough couple months … But I guess it seems to be our new normal,” she said.

The fire department arrived in her neighbourhood around 8:30 p.m. AT Friday, and McWhirter said she arrived with her pets at the comfort centre on Caledonia Road around 2 a.m. Saturday.

She described the evacuation as “a little bit chaotic,” adding the bus transporting people to the comfort centre blew a tire on the highway and another bus had to be called in to complete the journey.

McWhirter said she’s waiting to find out the status of her home.

The comfort centre, which is operated by the Red Cross in conjunction with the provincial Emergency Management Office, is expected to remain open overnight.

“Until people can get to their homes or can be with their friends or family, this will be open,” said Tom Silver with Halifax Search and Rescue, who is on site offering support to people displaced by the floods.

He said people there are “surprisingly upbeat,” and said they’ll remain on site with food, water, coffee, tea, charging stations, and just to lend an ear if people need someone to talk to.

Significant flooding after torrential downpours has forced several roadways and businesses to close in Bedford, N.S.

The flood also forced many people to flee or abandon their vehicles on Friday night. Though the flooding has subsided in some areas, many roads are still blocked off due to safety concerns and the possibility of more rain.

In Bedford, Jennifer Fisher stood on high ground overlooking the parking lot where her car is half-submerged in water.

She drove into the city from the Annapolis Valley to see a play and decided to carpool with a friend for convenience, leaving her car parked in Bedford.

“Of course, when I came back, it was underwater,” she said.

“We were kinda surprised to see the trunk open, I don’t know if it just popped open from water pressure or what, but it definitely wasn’t open when we left.”

Fisher said she’s contacted her insurance and is waiting to hear back.

Rain is expected to continue tonight, and the Halifax Regional Municipality is continuing to advise residents to stay off the road and stay away from floodwater.

A provincewide state of emergency is in effect.