Nova Scotia flood: Body of Brooklyn man, 52, recovered, human remains found

First responders in Nova Scotia have recovered the body of a 52-year-old Brooklyn man, and the human remains of a second person have been found.

• Photos: Record rainfall swamps N.S. with severe flooding

The man, a youth and two children were reported missing on Saturday after two separate vehicles were got caught in flood waters while trying to evacuate the area.

Police said they recovered the body of the man in the main search area northwest of Halifax, while the second person's remains were found "by civilians" on shore in a tidal area in the neighbouring county.

Sgt. Rob Frizzell said police are working with the medical examiner to identify the remains, but investigators have reason to believe they belong to one of the other three people missing. There have been no other reports of missing people from the flooding, he said.

He also confirmed the search of the submerged field had turned up a second missing vehicle. An RCMP dive team recovered an unoccupied pickup truck Saturday in more than two metres of water and said it was believed to be the vehicle the children were travelling in. Frizzell said the second vehicle, also empty, was not far from the truck.

The search continues for the other missing people following the record-breaking weather event, that saw up to 250 millimetres of rain fall.

Premier Tim Houston said Monday it is a "terrible day for our province."

"I'm at a loss to understand a tragedy of this magnitude. I know Nova Scotians feel the same way," the premier said.

"We can always rebuild roads and bridges and repair homes. We can never bring our loved ones back. These losses will be the legacy of these floods."

Houston thanked the "heroic and tireless" efforts of first responders in their search, and said he will continue to pray for the safe return of those who remain missing.

In a press release Monday, RCMP said industrial and high-flow pumping equipment will continue to be used to help lower the water level in the primary search area of Brooklyn.

Search and rescue teams in West Hants, East Hants and Valley are assisting with the search, along with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.

With files from The Canadian Press.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.