Newfoundland and Labrador brace for “unprecedented” flooding from the Atlantic storm | The Canadian News

Newfoundland and Labrador are bracing for heavy flooding, urging residents in some parts of the province to avoid nonessential travel as a major storm makes its way across Atlantic Canada.

Widespread wind and rain advisories went into effect Tuesday for various regions in southwestern Newfoundland and southeastern Labrador.

Starting Tuesday night, the province is expected to experience strong gusts of wind between 110 and 160 kilometers per hour, as well as 100 millimeters to 200 millimeters of rain, which will continue through Wednesday night, according to Environment Canada. In the elevated areas above the Port aux Basques area, more than 400 mm of rain is forecast.

“These are very extreme rainfall rates for this area of ​​the country,” said Dale Foot, a meteorologist for Environment Canada in Gander, NL.

“There will be damage, washed out roads and major impacts in the coming days” as a result of the “unprecedented” floods, he told Global News.

An atmospheric river system, a phenomenon similar to what has wreaked havoc in western British Columbia, is also brewing in Atlantic Canada.

Over the past week, floods, landslides and landslides in British Columbia damaged roads, prompted evacuations, stranded thousands of people and killed hundreds of animals. At least one person has died.

Due to the slightly different topography with fewer trees and more rocks in Newfoundland and Labrador, there is less chance of landslides, but river levels are going to rise, said Anthony Farnell, Global News chief meteorologist.

Southwestern Labrador will see up to “two months of rain falling in two days,” he said.

The ferry system between Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island and Newfoundland and Labrador was closed for the next few days due to extreme winds and waves, effectively cutting off road access to the island.

Provincial officials urge people to take all necessary precautions.

The Department of Justice and Public Safety reminded residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.

Emergency services are also preparing and dispatching resources ahead of the torrential downpour.

“Our emergency operations center is engaged, closely monitoring adverse weather and its impacts in parts of the province,” National League Prime Minister Andrew Furey said on Twitter.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro warned residents that power outages could occur.

While heavy rains are expected to subside after Wednesday, another storm could hit over the weekend, Environment Canada’s Foot said.

“After this storm passes through Wednesday night, there will be a short cleanup break, but there will be no sunny skies or light winds.

“It will not be resolved, but the period of main danger will have passed.”

Meanwhile, rain and wind advisories were also issued for Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, southern New Brunswick, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, and the northern coast of Quebec.

Up to 75mm of rain was expected in southern New Brunswick by Tuesday, and PEI can expect up to 90mm in isolated areas.

Nova Scotia Power reported more than 100 outages affecting more than 12,000 customers early Tuesday morning.

–With files from The Canadian Press