I slept badly last evening, hoping that the people and places I knew would still be intact in the morning, after high tide which would bring another storm surge, and following more high winds. This morning, I wandered in early to the computer to learn the following.
In many ways, this is much worse than the storm which pummeled the US Northeast. The storm which afflicted the US Northeast was one storm, whereas a storm from Ontario and Quebec converged with the storm from the Northeast, providing Nova Scotians with a rare and perfect destructive storm. Last I heard, the causeway to Cape Sable Island, and island of significant size off the Southermost tip of Nova Scotia is temporarily inaccessible due to blizzard conditions and icing..
This is a picture of one of the grocery stores I shopped in, quite a distance from our house. It has changed hands since I was last there. The thick front glass has indeed been blown out by high winds, which is interesting, because it's fairly well protected, and faces away from the ocean. The local weather station reported winds in excess of 120 km./hr. The Emergency Measures Coordinator has said that the storm "opened a gap in the building" and that the glass blew out from the inside out". I can't even imagine.
Power was knocked out for a good deal of the region, which doesn't hurt us much, because the house has been winterized, but I'll bet with the cold, trees down, snowy icy roads, and pounding surf, it was quite a problem. Local officials opened a shelter or two, in fire stations,, but with blizzard conditions, I wonder how many people got there. Most businesses in the county were closed yesterday, and this kept most people off the roads. In other parts of Nova Scotia, hospitals organized "Jeep Brigades" to get physicians and nurses to hospitals.
Many if not most people in the region make their money through fishing and lobster harvesting. Yesterday, many wharfs were turned to matchsticks, and ones which remained had boats set upon them. It's hard to imagine some of those large fishing boats with larger crews being set on wharfs, or set this far inland following a storm surge. There is also major roof damage to some buildings, and the many historical buildings have yet to be assessed.
Photo's without the contributor's name are credited at this time to: www.thecoastguard.ca, which is a newspaper.
With the people I was concerned about apparently safe, I recalled that last year our homeowners insurance for the house there took a jump. This amount of damage in the area is probably going to cause it to rise additionally. However, I am grateful for the the safety of the people and for our house. When the drifts melt and the weather is better, a better look will need to be taken at our house to ensure that nothing happened in the following day. Daniel would have loved this miraculous place.
Updates:
The Cape Sable Causeway situation has improved and is passable. The live feed is back up at:
http://www.novascotiawebcams.com/south-shore/cape-sable-island.html
This post is an update to the prior post on this subject which can be found at:
http://learnedfromdaniel.blogspot.com/2013/02/worries-for-nova-scotia.html
In many ways, this is much worse than the storm which pummeled the US Northeast. The storm which afflicted the US Northeast was one storm, whereas a storm from Ontario and Quebec converged with the storm from the Northeast, providing Nova Scotians with a rare and perfect destructive storm. Last I heard, the causeway to Cape Sable Island, and island of significant size off the Southermost tip of Nova Scotia is temporarily inaccessible due to blizzard conditions and icing..
This is a picture of one of the grocery stores I shopped in, quite a distance from our house. It has changed hands since I was last there. The thick front glass has indeed been blown out by high winds, which is interesting, because it's fairly well protected, and faces away from the ocean. The local weather station reported winds in excess of 120 km./hr. The Emergency Measures Coordinator has said that the storm "opened a gap in the building" and that the glass blew out from the inside out". I can't even imagine.
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| I believe that this is the store which has heated steel lines on the front of the roof which help to melt snow in order to decrease snow load, and keep this building safe from collapses. This store has the best selection of trash and recycling bags in all sizes and colors. Recycling is a big deal in Nova Scotia. Even out-of-towners like us are required to properly sort and correctly color code our bags of trash for proper recycling. Nova Scotians must even separate and recycle everything in fast food restaurants. |
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| Later in the day. (Photo: Kathy Johnson) |
Power was knocked out for a good deal of the region, which doesn't hurt us much, because the house has been winterized, but I'll bet with the cold, trees down, snowy icy roads, and pounding surf, it was quite a problem. Local officials opened a shelter or two, in fire stations,, but with blizzard conditions, I wonder how many people got there. Most businesses in the county were closed yesterday, and this kept most people off the roads. In other parts of Nova Scotia, hospitals organized "Jeep Brigades" to get physicians and nurses to hospitals.
Many if not most people in the region make their money through fishing and lobster harvesting. Yesterday, many wharfs were turned to matchsticks, and ones which remained had boats set upon them. It's hard to imagine some of those large fishing boats with larger crews being set on wharfs, or set this far inland following a storm surge. There is also major roof damage to some buildings, and the many historical buildings have yet to be assessed.
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| I am glad our own doors are staying closed. This is quite typical for yesterday. (Photo: Julie Young) |
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| These are lobster traps brought onto a road by the storm surge. The ocean is on the right. (Photo: Susan Quinlan) |
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| Many pieces of road equipment of all varieties slipped off roads yesterday. A plow slipped off the road right near our house. |
Photo's without the contributor's name are credited at this time to: www.thecoastguard.ca, which is a newspaper.
With the people I was concerned about apparently safe, I recalled that last year our homeowners insurance for the house there took a jump. This amount of damage in the area is probably going to cause it to rise additionally. However, I am grateful for the the safety of the people and for our house. When the drifts melt and the weather is better, a better look will need to be taken at our house to ensure that nothing happened in the following day. Daniel would have loved this miraculous place.
Updates:
The Cape Sable Causeway situation has improved and is passable. The live feed is back up at:
http://www.novascotiawebcams.com/south-shore/cape-sable-island.html
This post is an update to the prior post on this subject which can be found at:
http://learnedfromdaniel.blogspot.com/2013/02/worries-for-nova-scotia.html
Jane - i forgot to mention that we didn't have internet for a few days so we are just catching up to how others in the Maritimes faired through the storms....we were very lucky to only get a bit of the storm!
ReplyDeleteyour friend,
kymber
Thank you for much for checking in ! I was watching your weather as well as the Southern Coast also. I also tried to call you last evening. So relieved that you and your beautiful Framboise Manor are safe !
DeleteIm glad you have weathered the storm & I pray your home has not suffered damage. The destruction a storm can create is over wealming when it affects one's lively hood and home. When I read news of this happening I can't help but wonder if God pours out his wrath to get our attention and humble ourselves and pray. Blessings! Lara
ReplyDeleteLara, I was most concerned about the good people there, several of whom watch our home there and take good care of it while we are here at the farm. I know that they have stayed there sometimes during the storms when I have wished they would have headed for higher ground. It is, without exception the most beautiful spot in the world to me, and it is worth the risks being above the ocean there. The home was originally built in 1965, and then completely rebuilt in 1972. It has been really exceptionally maintained until 2009 when we bought it, and we have done our best since. I believe that all is fine there, but the road, which will have to be rebuilt, but this has happened before. It all belongs to God anyway and he redecorates as he sees fit. Thanks for posting. I send hugs to you. It is still a very difficult time for you. Everyone is different, but most moms cope better at about the year mark on, peppered with days that feel like the beginning. At four years, it is still the focal loss of my life, but I do my best to make Daniel and my Dad proud, because I believe that God allows them to see how we are doing. I don't want them to be disappointed in me, so I do my best. I still experience the grief for both of them, but I will work to make them and God proud of me. God bless you, and yours.
Delete