A state of local emergency was lifted for Cape Breton’s Richmond County following devastating flooding over the long weekend. Municipal officials declared a state of local emergency on Saturday in Inverness, Victoria and Richmond counties due to the flooding and widespread damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure. It was lifted in Inverness and Victoria counties on Tuesday. The Richmond County state of local emergency was lifted Wednesday evening. All schools in Richmond County will reopen and classes will resume Thursday, though some bus routes may be delayed or modified due to road conditions. Schools School buildings in Richmond County were closed Wednesday. The Strait Regional Centre for Education said the closures would allow officials to further assess road conditions and structures as well as any necessary repairs. The following schools were closed: The following CSAP buildings in Richmond County were also closed: Classes resumed Wednesday at all schools in Inverness County, Victoria County and the Town of Port Hawkesbury. The Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education says buses servicing Rankin School of the Narrows in Iona, N.S., will travel on paved roads only on Wednesday. Support line The municipal support phone line is still open to give western Cape Breton residents a “central point of contact” to report non-emergency issues and concerns. The support line is available by calling 902-625-7888. The hours have been changed and are now in operation from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Residents with general insurance questions are encouraged to call the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-227-5422. Drone usage Officials say residents in affected areas may notice drone activity in the coming days as part of damage assessment efforts, particularly near West Bay Road and Marble Mountain. “The information collected will help our emergency management officials, engineers, and response agencies better understand the extent of the damage and prioritize recovery efforts,” says Emergency Coordination Centre Incident Commander Jerron Hawley. People are asked not to approach drone operators while they are working. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
