It doesn害羞草研究所檛 make sense to Robie Holland that 害羞草研究所� as 250 millimetres of rain poured down in rural Nova Scotia 害羞草研究所� there was nothing to stop his father from travelling down a rapidly flooding road.

害羞草研究所淲hy was the road open? That害羞草研究所檚 the main question I keep coming back to 害羞草研究所�. It was flooding, and it wasn害羞草研究所檛 safe for people to be going down those roads. Why, if you害羞草研究所檙e out in the rural communities, is it a free-for-all?害羞草研究所� he asked in an interview Friday.

害羞草研究所淚n my eyes, this was an avoidable situation.害羞草研究所�

Nicholas Holland, 52, was among the four people who died in the historic, inland flooding on July 22, as torrential waters poured over rural Route 14 near Brooklyn, N.S. 害羞草研究所� northwest of Halifax 害羞草研究所� and swept two vehicles into a hayfield.

Robie Holland, 25, and his sister Sophie Holland, 23, said in an interview that while they害羞草研究所檙e grateful for the efforts of searchers that night, an independent probe is needed to answer questions about the response to the flooding disaster.

Questions include why there was a delay after a request at 1:22 a.m. from the deputy chief of the Brooklyn volunteer fire department for a Ready Alert telling drivers to stay off the road. The alert was sent by provincial emergency management officials at 3:06 a.m., about half an hour after police say the taxi carrying Holland and three others went in the water.

害羞草研究所淚f they害羞草研究所檙e on the highway stranded and they害羞草研究所檇 had an alert saying, 害羞草研究所楧on害羞草研究所檛 go down to this area,害羞草研究所� they wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have gone there. They害羞草研究所檙e going to change their plans,害羞草研究所� Robie Holland said.

Holland害羞草研究所檚 two children said they have learned from survivors害羞草研究所� accounts that after their father, a rock musician, finished playing a show in Windsor, N.S., in the early hours of July 22, he and his girlfriend set off for their residence in nearby St. Croix. However, his partner害羞草研究所檚 car stalled in water pooled on the highway.

The Holland siblings say the two called a taxi and the driver continued towards their residence. As the cab was going around a corner on Route 14 it was swept into a hayfield by churning waters.

Robie Holland said his father 害羞草研究所� who had a damaged knee from an accident years earlier 害羞草研究所� still managed to kick the windows out of the car, allowing the four inside to escape the sinking vehicle. 害羞草研究所淗e gave everyone a chance to survive,害羞草研究所� he said.

The son said his father害羞草研究所檚 girlfriend and the taxi driver managed to cling onto objects that prevented them from being swept away, but the driver害羞草研究所檚 daughter, 14-year-old Terri-Lynn Keddy, was carried by the current, as was Holland, who was not a strong swimmer

Searchers have since recovered the bodies of Holland and Keddy. Two six-year-old children, Colton Sisco and Natalie Harnish, died when another vehicle went off the road at about the same time.

Robie and Sophie Holland said it comforts them to recall their father害羞草研究所檚 efforts to help others and the dedication of searchers who spent days looking for the bodies. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 sad, but I害羞草研究所檓 thankful for them,害羞草研究所� said Sophie.

But they say they remain troubled by the inability of the province and emergency management officials to react more quickly in rural areas.

Robie said that by 9 p.m. on the night of the torrential rainfall, he was being turned away by police on streets in Halifax, and this left him questioning why similar blockades weren害羞草研究所檛 in place in the Municipality of West Hants where his father died.

Meanwhile, Sophie Holland, a physiotherapist, said her generation is facing deepening challenges from climate change and she害羞草研究所檚 looking for better preparations from governments at all levels.

害羞草研究所�(Political leaders) say 害羞草研究所極ur thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims,害羞草研究所� but if you害羞草研究所檇 done something earlier, things might be different,害羞草研究所� she said.

Blair Feltmate, director of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo, is among those calling for an independent review to examine shortcomings in Nova Scotia害羞草研究所檚 storm response. His centre gave Nova Scotia a grade of C in a 2019 study assessing provinces害羞草研究所� flooding preparedness.

It noted the province was the only one in Atlantic Canada that delegates responsibility for flood plain mapping to local governments, and that the province 害羞草研究所渄oes not provide incentives for the relocation of developments from flood plain zones.害羞草研究所�

The provincial Department of Public Works said Friday it could not provide details about road closures during the storm. 害羞草研究所淪taff continue to work hard to restore access to damaged roads and bridges impacted by the extreme flooding,害羞草研究所� spokesperson Gary Andrea said. 害羞草研究所淲e will be reviewing measures taken during the July 21 weekend once our work is complete.害羞草研究所�

Sophie and Robie Holland say they are looking for improvements to happen quickly.

害羞草研究所淎re we prepared?害羞草研究所� asked Sophie. 害羞草研究所淲hat changes are we going to make going forward? Obviously we weren害羞草研究所檛 prepared for this.害羞草研究所�

Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press

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