SYDNEY –
Some residents in Cape Breton were anxiously awaiting rescue Tuesday after a huge dump of heavy, wet snow on the weekend jammed entrances to homes, blocked roadways and prompted a local state of emergency.
The cleanup could take days after up to 150 centimetres of snow accumulated in parts of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality including Sydney, the largest community on the island.
Debbie Crane, 61, says she hasn’t left her home in Whitney Pier, a Sydney neighbourhood, since Friday night, when blowing snow created drifts that blocked both entrances and buried her car.
As of Tuesday, Crane had already missed one kidney dialysis appointment.
“Hopefully sometime (Tuesday) I’ll get out and I’ll be able to go tomorrow,” she said in an interview, adding that she had called the municipality to ask for help.
Christina Lamey, a spokeswoman for the municipality, said people who need to get to a hospital should call 911, which starts the co-ordination of ambulance transport with snowplow backup.
“Plows are supporting emergency calls as much as possible, but this is very challenging,” Lamey said in an email. “We are asking people to clear their doorways and walkways to the street to facilitate emergency access.”
Crane said she has had to limit her intake of fluids to reduce the strain on her kidneys as she waits for a ride to the hospital.
“I’ve been chewing gum to keep moisture in my mouth, and I just use a little bit of water to take my medications,” she said. “As the days go on, I’m growing more and more anxious about getting in for dialysis. But I try to keep calm and look on the bright side of things.”
Meanwhile, the provincial government is asking people in Cape Breton to stay off the roads as more snow-clearing equipment is being brought into the area.
As well, Nova Scotia has requested help from neighbouring provinces and Ottawa.
Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan has said Parks Canada will send snow removal equipment and that the Canadian Coast Guard is sending helicopters. Organizations such as the Red Cross will help with humanitarian work, he said.
John Lohr, Nova Scotia’s minister responsible for emergency management, said the province needs federal help to maintain public safety.
The Cape Breton Regional Municipality declared a state of local emergency on Sunday, which may remain in place for the rest of the week.
On Tuesday morning, provincial offices in Inverness and Victoria counties as well as Cape Breton Regional Municipality were closed, while offices in Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough and Richmond counties were scheduled to open at noon.
Schools across Cape Breton were closed, as were schools in parts of northern and eastern Nova Scotia, where government offices were expected to open later in the day.
Nova Scotia Health says some non-emergency services may be reduced in the northern and eastern zones because of heavy snow and poor road conditions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2024.
