Nova Scotia Assessing Impact of Hurricane Earl

Officials with the Emergency Management Office are continuing to assess the effects of Hurricane Earl.

Earlier today, Sept. 4, RCMP confirmed one death related to the hurricane.

"Like all Nova Scotians, I was extremely saddened to learn of this death," said Ramona Jennex, Minister of Emergency Management. "On behalf of the province, my deepest condolences go out to the family of this individual.'

As the clean-up in the aftermath of Hurricane Earl continues, provincial officials advise Nova Scotians that public safety is still a priority.

"While it may feel that the storm has passed, we ask people to continue to use caution," said Ms. Jennex. "Stay off the roads as there may be debris and tree branches. Please do not go to the shore and please use extreme care when assessing the damage to your property."

The province continues to work with utilities, government departments and not-for-profit partners to provide a unified and well co-ordinated recovery effort.

Environment Canada advises that by noon Hurricane Earl had been downgraded to a tropical storm and the storm has now moved passed Nova Scotia.

Although the storm has been downgraded, gusty winds remain a possibility.

No major infrastructure failures have been reported.

Power lines, trees, branches and leaves are down in several parts of the province. RCMP continue to advise people to stay off roads unless travel is unavoidable.

For information on current highway conditions, call 511 from any Nova Scotia-registered phone. Residents of HRM can report blocked roads by calling 902-490-4000.

Any road blockages or fallen trees that involve downed power lines should be reported to Nova Scotia Power.

Utility crews continue to address outages across the province. People can check on the status of outages and report outages by calling Nova Scotia Power at 1-877-428-6004. Emergency Management Office officials continue to work with Nova Scotia Power to better understand the nature and duration of power outages.

Any nursing homes or large-scale long-term care facilities in the province without power should call the Nova Scotia Power Outage Line. The province has asked Nova Scotia Power to make these facilities a priority in their restoration efforts.

"Nova Scotians are known for their kindness and for lending a helping hand, so take a moment now to check in with your neighbours," said Ms. Jennex. "If there is a senior or another person in your community who may need some assistance, take a moment to visit them."

Sporadic phone outages are being reported, but there are currently no disruptions in cellular service. Residents without telephone service are encouraged to have a cell phone on hand.

Anyone without access to a phone and needing urgent medical care are advised to go directly to the nearest paramedic base or local emergency room.