Storm Fiona swept homes into the sea, tore roofs off others and knocked out power in two Canadian provinces as it made landfall before dawn on Saturday.
Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm on Friday evening, but it still brought with it high winds, torrential rains and huge waves.
There has been no confirmation of any deaths or injuries caused in Canada yet, but so far Fiona has been charged with at least five deaths – two in Puerto Rico, two in the Dominican Republic and one on the French island of Guadeloupe.
The Canadian prime minister said the storm caused extensive damage and recovery will take a “big effort”.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has canceled his trip to Japan for the funeral of slain former prime minister Shinzo Abe and said the federal government will deploy the Canadian Armed Forces to assist him.
“We are seeing devastating images coming from Port aux Basques. PEI (Prince Edward Island) suffered storm damage unlike anything they had ever seen. Cape Breton is also hard hit,” Trudeau said.
“Canadians are thinking of all those affected by Hurricane Fiona, which is having devastating effects in the Atlantic provinces and eastern Quebec, particularly in the Magdalen Islands. There are people who see their homes destroyed, people who are very worried – we will be there for you.”
Ocean waves hit the town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the south coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were swept into the sea. Mayor Brian Button said on social media on Saturday that people were blown to higher ground as winds toppled power lines.
“I see houses in the ocean. I see rubble floating everywhere. It is complete and total destruction. There is an apartment that has disappeared,” said René J Roy, a resident of Channel-Port Aux Basques and editor-in-chief. to Wreckhouse Press, said in a phone interview.
He estimated that between eight and twelve houses and buildings were washed out to sea.
A&W restaurant banner hangs in the wind after Storm Fiona lands in Stephenville, Newfoundland
A woman thrown into the sea as her house collapsed
Jolene Garland, spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland and Labrador, said a woman was safe and in “good health” after she was “thrown into the water as her home s ‘collapsed’ in the Channel-Port Aux Basques area.
Garland said an individual who may have been blown away was still missing and high winds prevented an aerial search.
Fiona makes landfall between Canso and Guysborough, Nova Scotia, Canada in a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration composite image
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the town of 4,000 was in a state of emergency as authorities dealt with multiple electrical fires and residential flooding.
In Sydney, N.S., the largest city in Cape Breton, about 20 people have taken shelter at the Center 200 sports and entertainment center, said Christina Lamey, spokeswoman for the region. Ms Lamey said there were hundreds of displaced people in the province.
Arlene and Robert Grafilo fled to Center 200 with their children, aged 3 and 10, after a huge tree fell on their duplex apartment.
A fallen tree lies on top of a crushed van
“We were trapped and couldn’t open the doors and windows, so we decided to call 911,” Arlene Grafilo said. She said firefighters eventually rescued them.
