'We were pretty lucky': Winnipegger in Halifax recounts Fiona's wrath
As a Winnipegger living in Halifax, Justin Cross says he didn't know what to expect as post-tropical storm Fiona pummelled Atlantic Canada.
This is Cross' third year living in Halifax while attending school at Dalhousie University, and he says he has never experienced anything like he has in the past 24 hours.
"My family in Winnipeg was sending the articles of you know all the news saying it's going to be Canada's worst storm and stuff and they were kind of freaking out more than me," he told CTV News from his home in Halifax.
He said around 10 p.m. Friday night, he started to hear the winds howling.
"We looked outside and we started seeing some trees swaying a lot. And then we were all in our kitchen at around 12 and we just heard this big bang," he said.
One of the trees right in front of his house had blown over and crushed a neighbour's truck.
The aftermath of post-tropical storm Fiona in Halifax on Sept. 24, 2022. (Source: Justin Cross)
"The winds, how strong they were, I've never experienced anything like that," he said.
Fiona, one of the strongest storms to ever strike Eastern Canada, forced towns in Cape Breton and on Newfoundland's southwestern coast to declare states of emergency.
At the Halifax Stanfield International Airport wind gusts of 109 km/h were reported around 3 a.m., hitting 135 km/h at the mouth of Halifax Harbour.
READ MORE: N.L. woman missing after Fiona sweeps homes into sea, wreaks havoc across East Coast
"Waking up this morning I just went for a drive and the roads were covered. People were helping as much as they can, like cutting down branches," he said, adding no one in his area was injured.
Cross said as of Saturday, most of Halifax is without power and may be in the dark for a few days.
The aftermath of post-tropical storm Fiona in Halifax on Sept. 24, 2022. (Source: Justin Cross)
"Hopefully, we'll have enough food to get by, but some rough conditions in Halifax right now."
He said he spoke with his family Saturday morning to let them know he was okay.
"We luckily just got the outskirts of it," he said. "I think we were pretty lucky in the overall picture of things, but it definitely could have been worse."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.