Eastern Canada braces for one of the worst storms ever | Abroad

With sustained winds of up to 215 km/h, Fiona was still seen as a hurricane of strength four out of five on Wednesday and Thursday. As she passed Bermuda on Friday night, Fiona lost a little of her power and dropped to Category Three. However, it still had winds of up to 165 kilometers per hour, according to the Bermuda Weather Service, with damage limited last night.

Meanwhile, the hurricane continues its path toward Canada. A hurricane warning has been issued for the provinces of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Southern Quebec.

The storm is expected to make landfall in Nova Scotia early Saturday morning as a Category 2 hurricane. Residents can expect sustained winds of up to 60 kph, gusts of more than 100 kph, and power outages. Moreover, another 100-200 mm of rain is expected. Local authorities are also warning of flooding and falling trees that could temporarily close the road.

Hurricane Fiona is expected to be stronger than Hurricane Juan in 2003 and Hurricane Dorian in 2019, which has caused extensive damage in the past, Bob Rubichod, a meteorologist with the Canadian Hurricane Center, told a briefing. “It’s going to have to fit in the history books when looking back, but it’s definitely going to be a very historical event for eastern Canada,” said Rubishod.

The Weather Service encourages Atlantic Canada residents to assemble 72-hour emergency kits to deal with any power outages and other storm-related issues. The kit should include food, water, medication, and prescriptions for all people and pets in the home, as well as a way to charge cell phones if a landline is not available.

On Sunday, Hurricane Fiona, then a Category 1, slammed into the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, causing extensive damage. At least eight people were killed, the entire island was cut off from electricity and devastated by floods. Five days later, two-thirds of the population is still without electricity.