Shortly before a hurricane hits Canada’s east coast, citizens are called upon to stock up on supplies for at least 72 hours. The warnings turn out to be justified. According to eyewitnesses, the affected areas offer a picture of “total devastation”.
Cyclone “Fiona” has caused devastation in eastern Canada and cut off around 500,000 households from electricity. Heavy rain and hurricane-force gusts of wind on Saturday uprooted trees, washed houses into the sea and damaged power lines. In the province of Newfoundland, according to police, two women were torn into the sea by the storm. One of them was saved, the second is still missing.
Although “Fiona” was downgraded from a hurricane to a so-called post-tropical cyclone, it still brought wind speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour, according to meteorologists. In the morning she hit the coast of the eastern province of Nova Scotia, according to the US hurricane center NHC.
The authorities in Nova Scotia had warned, among other things, of power outages. People in the affected coastal areas should stock up so that they can stay indoors for at least 72 hours. And indeed, according to the energy supplier Nova Scotia Power, 384,000 households in the province of Nova Scotia were cut off from the electricity supply, in the provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island there were 32,000 and around 82,000 households respectively.
In Channel-Port aux Basques in the province of Newfoundland, two women were torn into the sea by the storm, only one of them could be rescued immediately and taken to the hospital, according to police. “These are the strongest winds anyone has ever seen in this community. Several houses have been washed into the sea,” said resident René Roy.
Channel-Port aux Basques offers a picture of “total devastation,” Mayor Brian Button told CBC News. “The whole thing has gotten bigger and worse than we imagined.” In the city of North Sydney in Nova Scotia, trees fell on houses and cars, and several buildings collapsed, local fire chief Lloyd MacIntosh told CBC. “It will take time for Nova Scotia to recover. Everyone, I ask for patience,” said the provincial head of government, Tim Houston.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised government help to the provinces and their people. “I want you to know that we are here for you. Our government stands ready to support the provinces with additional funds,” he said on Twitter.
“Fiona” first made landfall in the US overseas territory of Puerto Rico on Sunday last week. The storm then also hit the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bermuda Islands. A total of six deaths were reported, four in Puerto Rico, one in the Dominican Republic and another in the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe. The storm also cut off electricity and water supplies for scores of people.
