2023 Nova Scotia Floods for Globe & Mail
On December 10, 2023 by jmwebI got home late on a Sunday night (in July) after covering the floods for Reuters. My Monday was pretty regular, went into the office. Monday night I was off to Baba’s for comedy night. While there, I received an email from the Globe & Mail asking if I’d go back to Nova Scotia to cover it for them.
Around 9-10pm, the amazing photo editor did her thing and got back to me saying to go ahead. Except I had to be there for a house walk through at 7am (Halifax is a 3 hour drive away). Off we went home and I went to bed, eventually waking up at 4am.
On my way over I received a text from the reporter saying things were gonna be delayed. This allowed me to take my time on a “leisurely Sunday drive”. I eventually would meet up with the reporter in the Sobeys parking lot before heading down the street to the heavily impacted area.
The first thing we came across from a house which had their processions in the laneway. As we continued on, we ended up talking to an individual. He was helping his friend clean up his house.
The friend ended up pointing out the water line, which was visible on the house during the peak of the floods. After this, we ended up talking with a home owner on the other side of the road. He reported a car had been stalled outside on the road for a bit. He was lucky, he didn’t experience the massive damage others did as his house was on a bit of a hill.
As we continued walking down the street, we spoke with more residents. More devastation.
The next home we’d come to would invite us inside. As we stepped into their basement, I realized this was their first time back downstairs. I realized a lot of pain was about to impact them. The backyard, was grey as grey could be.
Their neighbours had towels out drying and some of the brush in front of it was still grey.
As we went further down the street, we’d talk to more people. Not all the imagery has been published by the Globe & Mail yet, so I am gonna hold off posting some of it.