A provincewide state of emergency was declared on Saturday because of the severe flooding. Some areas received more than 300 millimetres rain in 24 hours, leading to flooding and road and bridge washouts.

Four people – two children and youth and a man – are missing from the West Hants area, north of Halifax after two vehicles were submerged in the flooding. Three of a group of five people were able to escape one vehicle, with two children missing and two of four were able to escape another, leaving a man and youth missing. Premier Tim Houston says the search will continue as long as necessary.