N.S. crews, residents prepare for potential flooding as rain, wind system moves in

Nova Scotians are taking preparations to prevent flooding due to incoming rain this week.

Many Nova Scotians spent Thursday preparing for an oncoming rain and wind system that could cause flooding in some areas.

Alma Head, who owns a hair salon on Morrison Street in Sydney, N.S., says she’s used to preparing for this type of weather.

“Well, it’s definitely not our first rodeo,” Head said with a laugh.

Head has owned her business in the low-lying area of town off Townsend Street since the year 2000.

Over the past quarter-century, the streets near her salon have seen significant flooding at times of heavy or prolonged rain.

“Whatever work the city did do to this road did help quite a bit, but like I said, the flooding, once that brook floods, there’s nothing we can do,” Head said. “The road is gone.”

Head said while the amount of precipitation that is expected does have her on alert, it would take a larger storm for her to start preparing for any real potential damage.

“Normally when it’s 70 to 100 (millimetres), then you’ll see me put the sandbags out and all that,” Head said. “So, I didn’t prepare anything like that yet.”

City crews in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and in Halifax area, were doing what they could to prevent any potential flooding.

“What we’re hearing is there is going to be a significant amount of rain, and they do anticipate that there could be some localized flooding,” said Jenna MacQueen, communications with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

“Our public works team is going around right now and clearing catch basins, especially in low-lying areas, to make sure there’s no snow or debris, to allow the rainfall to go into the catch basins as designed,” MacQueen said.

A rainfall warning issued by Environment Canada for the Sydney area also noted that the frozen ground may have a reduced capacity to absorb water – an issue that could be exacerbated by melting snow.

People are also being advised to stay off frozen bodies of water.

The rain is expected to fall overnight Thursday into Friday.

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