Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is offering wellness resources for residents affected by last week’s Canada Day storm, including door-to-door check-ins.<\/p>\n
The heavy rainfall on July 1 led to flooding in several neighbourhoods and resulted in damage to thousands of homes, including the one owned by Shannon Kalil.<\/p>\n
The storm caused nearly three feet of dirty water to flood her basement, leaving her in shock.<\/p>\n
“I stood there and stared at it because I was in disbelief that there was that amount of water in there,” she said.<\/p>\n
The flooding caused orange and white fluffy mould to grow, forcing Kalil out of her home.<\/p>\n
Now she’s riddled with stress as she navigates repairs and insurance claims without knowing when she can return, she said.<\/p>\n
‘A strong emotional toll’<\/p>\n
Dr. Trevor Arnason, OPH’s medical officer of health, says mental health is just as important as physical health as communities rebuild after the storm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That’s why OPH is working with city partners to coordinate wellness visits to check in on flood victims.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As of Thursday afternoon, the city had conducted over 1,000 door-to-door wellness visits in the neighborhoods that were most impacted.<\/p>\n
“Cleaning up after a flood can be a very challenging time,” Arnason said. “People have to throw out many items of value and items that have some personal significance.”\u00a0<\/p>\n