OTTAWA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that his government would deploy armed forces to assist in the recovery of the storm-hit eastern region.
After making landfall on Saturday morning, post-tropical storm Fiona brought intense, hurricane-strength winds and torrential rains to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Quebec's Magdalen Islands in eastern Canada, leaving half a million homes and businesses without power and prompting municipalities to declare a local state of emergency.
The prime minister told reporters in a press conference Saturday afternoon that he had spoken to the premiers of the five affected provinces.
Trudeau said he canceled the trip to Japan for the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and he would visit affected communities if needed.
Defence Minister Anita Anand said the troops would assist with the tree and debris removal, the restoring of transportation links and whatever else is required.
Canada's environment ministry said the highest wind gust reported has been 179 km per hour, and rainfall exceeded 100 millimetres in some locations.
Potentially damaging winds will develop this evening over the eastern Lower Quebec North Shore and southeastern Labrador, and diminish Sunday afternoon or evening, according to the ministry. ■