The extent and cost of the damage from the Thanksgiving flood in the Sydney area is even higher than originally thought.
On Thursday, Mayor Cecil Clarke said 1,900 homes have been affected, with 2,250 individual claims filed.
Frustration is mounting among some of the people most impacted. Many of the 17 homeowners who have agreed their homes should be demolished are wondering what their next steps are.
"We’re trying to find other places to live. Possible homes to buy. Really, we're at a standstill until we actually get some money flowing," says homeowner Terry Drohan.
"We just want an answer, yes or no, straight up. We get it; we've been in the building. We've seen the damage, it's extensive. But we just want an answer,” says South End Community Centre administrator Angie MacDonald-Fraser.
Mayor Clarke says there is still no timeline for rolling out money through the disaster financial assistance program, run by the federal and provincial governments. He met with Premier Stephen McNeil on Thursday.
"Part of our discussions were making sure we had the flexibility to provide the supports at the front end,” says Clarke. “Governments can do paperwork later on so I have the assurance we can do what’s needed and the dollars can flow appropriately afterwards.”
Mould and colder weather are the most pressing covncerns in the clean-up effort now.
Clarke says people needing financial help now are being directed to the Salvation Army.
