The remnants of post-tropical storm Lee in Halifax bequeathed an unsettling trail of debris, ravaged property, and extensive power outages, leaving denizens to grapple with the chaotic aftermath.
Late into the Saturday night, Halifax Regional Municipality commenced the concerted effort of restoring order, tasking city crews with the arduous job of removing fallen trees and branches scattered across thoroughfares.
“In coordination with provincial authorities, we’ve dispatched excavators to restore roadway systems within the municipality. As a result, all our roads are now accessible,” Erica Fleck, Halifax Regional Municipality’s Director of Emergency Management, reported.
The tempestuous storm surge caused streets to be washed out, and an assortment of rocks to be strewn across numerous roadways. Post-tropical storm Lee triggered power loss for over 30,000 individuals in Halifax and its suburbs, with a notable impact being experienced by inhabitants of a building located on Kent Street. The power outage was attributed to a tree collapse that dislodged power lines from the building.
Mirroring the impact on power lines, the fallen tree wreaked havoc on three cars parked along the roadside during the storm. Kent Street was especially blighted, with damage immensely amplified by the toppled tree.
Upon the tree wreckage being cleared, the extent of damage was revealed. Darren Hartwig, a resident in the affected building recounted, “Once they dismantled the tree, the degree of damage was evident. Lost windows, defunct engines — we are reliant on insurance to provide us with new cars today.”
Nova Scotia Power, in tandem with the municipality, managed to clear a substantial portion of the fallen tree from the street, leaving the major bulk of the trunk pinning Hartwig’s car against the bumper.
“Currently, the situation is on hold until Bell intervenes to detach an active line hanging over the street. That will allow for the removal of the tree and the towing of my car to a maintenance shop,” Hartwig shared.
Conversely, while power was successfully restored in numerous households, certain city areas are still grappling with blackouts. “We are still awaiting updates from Nova Scotia Power. Several traffic lights in downtown Dartmouth and Halifax have been knocked out. We urge drivers to exercise extra caution,” Fleck warned.
In Eastern Passage, a familiar scene of desolation unfolded as the same boardwalk along Fisherman’s Cove, only recently repaired post-Fiona, fell victim to the ferocious power of Lee.
As calm found its way back to the coastline, locals took to assessing the devastation left in the wake of the post-tropical storm. Much to their awe, they found rocks that originally dotted the coastline relocated to the other side of the now broken boardwalk.
“This is just unfathomable. We expected some damage, yes, but this boardwalk is such an integral part of our community, an attraction for tourists, a popular spot for locals. It’s going to be sorely missed,” a local couple shared with dismay.
For those residing in this area, weathering storms is part of their lives. However, the extent of the impact of Lee, especially on their shorelines, left many reeling. As one resident observed, “We knew there would be rocks on it, but no one anticipated waking up to this degree of devastation.”
