Picking up the pieces: Clean-up continues in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley after flood

Windsor N.S., resident Amanda Dunfield takes pride in her home, however, years of relentless flooding is starting to take its toll.

“It’s less and less of a house every time this happens,” said Dunfield.

She has spent the last three days cleaning the mess left from the flood on Thursday.

Dunfield’s yard is covered in debris and her basement has mold. She said her home has barely recovered from the deadly flood last year.

“We had four feet of water this time, last time it was 8 feet,” she said.

With flooding happening more frequently, she said she has stopped making repairs.

“The financial losses are enormous for this place. Even with insurance the losses from the two previous floods that insurance won’t touch is well over $225, 000,” she said.

Dunfield is uncertain of what the additional costs will from the recent flood.

“We had to spray the area down [and] disinfect the area. We’ve been back to treating the mold three times. We have large industrial drum fans, multiple humidifiers, and AC units running,” she said.

Dunfield has five pumps, but she said that does not stop the water from going on to the property and in to the basement unit.

“Imagine having to grab your kids and pets and set up these pumps all within fifteen minutes before it begins to flood,” she said.

Dunfield said each time it floods, it also brings sewage water on to the property. She said there’s no support from the municipality of West Hants or the province.

“We’ve been look or an emergency response plan since 2021. We have had no luck getting an appropriate workable plan that actually provides a response. We get no financial assistance and get no recognition for the damage,” she said.

CTV News reached out to the CAO of West Hants Regional Municipality, Mark Philips, for an interview and he declined. However, Philips said the municipality is trying to find both short and long term solutions to the problem.

Roughly 40 minutes away from Windsor is Halls Harbour, N.S., where the devastation is widespread.

“When the water went over the road, it undermined the material underneath and when that happened, the pavement went [and] the culvert went,” said Charles Skerry, president of the Harbour Authority.

In a statement the Nova Scotia Public Works department told CTV News that crews have been working to repair more than 60 provincial damaged roads caused by floods since Thursday.

“There are currently 10 roads closed, some due to infrastructure damage and others to enable required repairs. Another 55 roads were damaged but are open,” read the statement.

The department added. “The most notable damage from the rainfall was the total loss of the structure at Halls Harbour, which is being assessed by department engineers.”

The province said it is not sure how much the repairs will cost.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.