Hurricane Teddy Updates from HRM

by | Sep 22, 2020 | Our Community

As of 10:40 a.m. | Sept. 23, 2020

NOTE: This will be the final update from the EOC barring any significant changes in status.

Weather

  • Heavy rain and high winds are expected to continue today and dissipate by later this afternoon.
  • Localized flooding has occurred in low lying areas; TIR crews are addressing high priority areas
  • NS Power working on restoring small pockets of power outages
  • High waves may still be present in coastal areas, with localized flooding throughout the region; public is urged to stay off the roads for their own safety and avoid impeding efforts by first responders in emergency situations.
  • Peggys Point Road, Lawrencetown Road, and Highway Number 207 from Seaforth and Chezzetcook remains closed to non-residents.  

 

Status of Municipal Services

  • Halifax Transit services will start running at 12 p.m. with full service resuming by 1:00 p.m.
  • Municipal offices and storefronts will open by 1:00 p.m.
    • Customer service centres at the Bayers Road Centre and Alderney Gate will reopen as of 1 p.m; the location at the Musquodoboit Harbour Recreation Centre & Library will remain closed. 
  • Recreation centers are opening to the public this afternoon with the exception of Musquodoboit Harbour and Sheet Harbour; residents are being asked to contact individual locations in advance to confirm opening times
  • Curbside collection of garbage, organics, and recyclables is cancelled for Wednesday, Sept. 23 and is rescheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26.
    • Curbside collection for Thursday, Sept. 24 will continue as scheduled.
    • Household special waste depot for Saturday, Sept. 26 is cancelled, and is expected to resume on the following Saturday, Oct. 3. 
    • Residents and commercial solid waste haulers are being advised that the following facilities will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 23:
      • Public drop off at the Otter Lake Waste Facility at 600 Otter Lake Drive (the transfer station will remain open for commercial haulers)
      • Materials Recycling Facility at 20 Horseshoe Lake Drive
      • Composting Facilities at 80 Gloria McCluskey Avenue in Burnside and 61 Evergreen Place in Goodwood
      • Rural refuse depot located at 21611 Highway 7 in Sheet Harbour

 

Municipal communications efforts:

As of 3:48pm | Sep 22, 2020

HRM Transit will be shut down at 7:00pm this evening.

As of 3:15 p.m.  | Sept. 22, 2020

  • Any further disruptions in municipal services overnight and into tomorrow will be announced before 4 p.m. today; ongoing updates regarding municipal service levels will be issued as information becomes available
  • Currently seeing effects of storm:
    • Surge and waves are present
    • localized flooding in the Halifax and Dartmouth downtown areas
    • Bedford Basin is currently 50 cm above normal
  • Hurricane Teddy is transforming to a post tropical storm as it heads in a northerly direction towards the Halifax region
  • Rainfall: heavy over the entire Halifax region, with accumulation of 50-70 mm (and some areas expected to exceed 75 mm)
  • Winds: currently showing max winds of 165 km/h; expecting sustained winds in excess of 100 km/h overnight into tomorrow
  • Duration: it is still a slow moving system with the duration now being estimated at 18-30 hours for effects throughout Nova Scotia
  • Most effects of the storm in the Halifax region are expected along the coast – particularly from downtown areas to communities along the Eastern Shore
  • From high tide tonight, around midnight, into late morning on Wednesday there will be pounding surf and potential for infrastructure damage along the coastline
  • Peak of storm now anticipated on Wednesday between early morning until noon
  • Eastern Shore will be hardest hit with storm surge and waves and public safety remains our biggest concern
    • Currently assessing the possibility of opening an evacuation centre(s) in the Eastern Shore  
  • Updates from partners/ agencies:
    • Halifax International Airport – all flights cancelled
    • VIA – no trains running
    • CN Rail – all trains pulled until tomorrow
    • Halifax Port Authority – only one vessel in port and it is secured

 

Municipal communications efforts:

  • PSAs on Sept. 22:
  • Homepage of halifax.ca showcases link to halifax.ca/hurricanes
  • Ongoing organic and paid social media efforts with messaging re municipal preparations, call-to-act for residents to be prepared, and updates regarding municipal service levels (Twitter: @hfxgov; Facebook: @hfxgov; and Instagram: hfxmoments)
  • Multiple media interviews with local/ regional outlets.

EOC Update #1 | Hurricane Teddy 9:55 a.m. | Sept. 22, 2020

  • Any disruption in municipal services for today and tomorrow is being assessed this morning and announced before noon; ongoing updates regarding municipal service levels will be issued as information becomes available
  • Winds are currently 31 knots (57 km/h) just off our coast, and anticipated to pick up in the coming hours
  • Hurricane Teddy has been downgraded to Cat 1 (from Cat 2) and is transitioning to a powerful post tropical storm
  • Very powerful swells can expect to cause life threating surf and rip current conditions
  • Storm is now moving very slowly which means extended rain and wind over the Halifax region, and increased winds on shore
  • Initial impacts of storm expected by midday Tuesday, with peak period late Tuesday/ early Wednesday; impacts of storm currently expected to remain in the region until at least noon on Wednesday
  • Rainfall: heavy, with accumulation up to 130 mm
  • Winds: 90km/h sustained and gusts up to 120 km/h
  • Public warnings were issued yesterday by Environment Canada

Municipal communications efforts:

  • Latest info about impacts to municipal services, and key messages regarding public safety, are being posted regularly to: halifax.ca/hurricanes
  • Homepage of halifax.ca showcases link to information re storm preparation
  • PSAs:
  • Ongoing organic and paid social media efforts (since Sept. 18) with messaging re municipal preparations, call-to-act for residents to be prepared, and updates regarding municipal service levels (Twitter: @hfxgov; Facebook: @hfxgov; and Instagram: hfxmoments)
  • Multiple media interviews with local/ regional outlets.