It will take several months for Canada to recover after Hurricane Fiona destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses.
Crews are on hand in five provinces to restore power and clear debris and trees that were downed by the high winds.
Hundreds of thousands of residents across Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland, Quebec and New Brunswick were left without power. A 73-year-old woman died in Port aux Basques, one of the worst-hit towns on the southwestern tip of Newfoundland.
About 100 troops of the 5th Division from the 4th Engineer Support Regiment have been sent to Prince Edward Island to assist residents. Mayor Brian Button of Port Aux Basques in Newfoundland declared a state of emergency after powerful storm Fiona lashed eastern Canada with strong winds that brought torrential downpours and severe flooding.
The storm also severely damaged Atlantic Canada’s fishing ports, which could hurt the country’s $3.2 billion crab industry if it is not fully restored before the season starts in a few weeks. In 2019, Dorian hit the region around Halifax, Nova Scotia, causing extensive property damage and leaving thousands of residents without power.
The storm has now weakened and headed for northern Canada. The Gulf of Saint Lawrence will be affected by strong winds up to 140 km/h. While the full extent of Fiona’s destruction is not clear, the storm could prove to be one of Canada’s costliest natural disasters. Authorities have called on people not to move from their homes until the situation improves.
