46-year

46-year-old Cape Breton woman found dead in flooded area

Woman was reported missing after her vehicle was located near flooded bridge in Richmond County

Nova Scotia RCMP say a 46-year-old Cape Breton woman reported missing Saturday morning was found dead in a flooded area of Richmond County later that the day.

First responders recovered the woman's body around 2:30 p.m. AT on Saturday near Kempt Road in Cleveland, N.S. Nova Scotia RCMP initiated a search earlier that morning after the woman was reported missing and her vehicle was discovered parked near her residence on the far side of a flooded bridge.

"We knew through the day yesterday that there was very likely going to be an announcement that a fatality had occurred directly resulting from this weather event," Richmond County Warden Lois Landry told CBC News on Sunday.

Landry noted she drove past the scene on her way to the emergency co-ordination centre in Port Hawkesbury.

When asked about the circumstances surrounding the woman's death, Emergency Management Minister Kim Masland said that is a question for the RCMP.

RCMP stated the death is not considered suspicious, though police did not elaborate. When asked whether the death was related to the flooding, police had no comment.

In a statement Sunday, Premier Tim Houston extended his thoughts to the victim's loved ones while warning residents to avoid travelling through damaged areas.

"To everyone in Nova Scotia, please continue to take care of yourselves and each other and follow the advice of local authorities," Houston said. "Stay off the roads while the weather is bad. Your safety is our priority."

Downpours have dumped more than 200 millimetres of rain across parts of Cape Breton since Friday morning, triggering local states of emergency and destroying key infrastructure.

Port Hawkesbury CAO Terry Doyle described the impact as unprecedented for the area. "We've never experienced anything to this size and effect," Doyle said.

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