Cape Breton-Victoria, Strait region schools closed Tuesday after rain, flooding

All schools in the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board and Strait Regional School Board will be closed Tuesday after severe flooding throughout the area.

Centre scolaire Étoile de l'Acadie in Sydney, NSCC Strait area campus and NSCC Wagmatcook Learning Centre are also closed Tuesday.

• See the latest cancellations and closures at Nova Scotia's Storm Centre

Here's what you need to know about services in Cape Breton after the heavy rain:

Hospitals

Cape Breton County hospitals will be offering only emergency services on Tuesday.

All elective and same-day surgeries are cancelled in Sydney, North Sydney, Sydney Mines, Glace Bay and New Waterford, the Nova Scotia Health Authority announced Monday night.

Walk-in blood collection, outpatient lab services, X-rays and diagnostic imaging also are cancelled.

Cape Breton Cancer Treatment Centre patients will be called between 6:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Tuesday about the status of their appointments. The renal dialysis service in Sydney and North Sydney is not affected.

Buildings on Kings Road and Townsend Street in Sydney will be closed, affecting mental health and addictions, primary health and public health services.

All staff are asked to still go to work, if safe, and an update will be provided by noon Tuesday.

• Thousands of Nova Scotians won't get power back until Tuesday evening

Comfort centres open

In Cape Breton, three comfort centres have been opened to help residents who are experiencing flooding or power loss.

People should only seek comfort zones if they are able to do so safely. Otherwise, people can call non-emergency dispatch at 902-536-5151. 

Comfort zones can be found at the Grand Lake Road Volunteer Fire Department, the Reserve Mines Fire Hall and the North Sydney Firemen's Club.

Centre 200 will open at 9 a.m. Wednesday to replace the Grand Lake Road comfort station. Centre 200 has showers people can use. Officials will decide tomorrow if Centre 200 will also act as an overnight shelter. 

If you need help getting to a comfort station, call 902-563-5151.

Stay off the roads

Emergency officials also are warning people to use caution on the roads and to pay attention to forecasts until heavy wind and rain subsides.

• See a full list of road closures here

Anyone who must leave their home is being asked to take an emergency kit with them.

Nova Scotia RCMP are offering tips for safe driving:

• Do not use cruise control in the rain.
• In rain or fog, drive with your headlights on at all times. This makes it easier for you to see other drivers and for other drivers to see you.
• Heavy rain can increase the possibility of hydroplaning so slow down and avoid areas where water is pooling. If you start to hydroplane, stay calm and take your foot off the gas.
• Beware of other vehicles around you and give yourself extra space between you and the vehicle you are following.

The Canso Causeway and the Macdonald and MacKay bridges are closed to high-sided vehicles and trucks with heavy loads. The ferries in LaHave, Tancock and Englishtown are not running.

Sydney firefighters are "extremely busy" with panic and distress calls, Cape Breton Fire and Emergency Services deputy fire chief Chris March said.

"A lot of flooded basements. We have some telephone poles and power line poles on fire," March said.