Eastern Quebec will likely experience strong winds and rain Friday night and Saturday morning as Hurricane Fiona heads into Canada.
The Îles-de-la-Madeleine in Quebec will be the hardest hit after Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, according to Peter Kimbell, meteorologist at Environment Canada.
He expects 125 kilometer winds in addition to 100 millimeters of rain and high waves, which will “most likely” cause flooding on the islands.
The Canadian Hurricane Center has also issued warnings for the Gaspé Peninsula, Anticosti Island, Natashquan and other regions of Quebec near the Maritimes.
Residents should be prepared to go up to 72 hours without power, Kimbell said.
“People should listen to their local emergency alerts, have an emergency supply kit ready and be prepared to be alone in shelter during the storm,” he said.
The Quebec government recommends the following items for home emergency kits:
- Six liters of drinking water per person
- Non-perishable food for at least three days, with a can opener
- Battery operated radio and flashlight, with extra batteries
- Matches or a lighter with candles
- First aid kit with antiseptics, analgesics, sterile gauze pads, scissors and bandages
EXPECTED DAMAGES
Road repairs and property damage are likely to occur, particularly in the Magdalen Islands and on the eastern tip of the Gaspé Peninsula.
“Similar cyclones of this nature have caused structural damage to buildings,” the weather agency said on its website.
Although Hurricane Fiona will no longer be considered a tropical storm when it hits Quebec, Kimbell said construction sites are still quite vulnerable to this “historic” storm.
“There could also be outdoor furniture flying around, so people need to be careful,” he added.
Hurricane Fiona has already left more than a million people without power or running water in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, with Bermuda now bracing for impact.
Meanwhile, outgoing Quebec Premier Francois Legault reassured the public that the government was ready to weather the storm.
“We are monitoring the situation closely. Public Security, the Ministry of Transport and Hydro-Quebec are ready, ”he wrote on Twitter Thursday.
As the storm heads into Quebec and Atlantic Canada, members of the public can check the latest public weather alerts on Environment Canada’s website.
