HALIFAX — A local state of emergency remains in effect in parts of Cape Breton as Nova Scotia digs out from one of the heaviest snowfalls in 20 years.
On Sunday afternoon, as a stalled low-pressure system continued to dump snow on the island for a second day, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality declared an emergency and urged people to shelter in place.
Images posted on social media show huge snowdrifts atop homes and outbuildings, buried and abandoned vehicles strewn across major highways, and homeowners using shovels to carve tunnel-like paths to move around their properties.
More than 80 centimetres of snow was reported in eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, but strong winds sculpted massive drifts that will take days to deal with.
Meanwhile, schools were closed and government offices delayed opening today across the province, except in the western municipalities, where the snowfall was much lighter over the weekend.
At the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, scores of flights have been cancelled or delayed, and more than 6,000 power outages were reported across the province this morning.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2024.
The Canadian Press
