‘Weather bomb’ drops on Eastern Canada

HALIFAX, (Feb. 20, 2004) — Truckers trying to haul freight in or out of much of Atlantic Canada today will be better off parking their rigs, as Nova Scotia and PEI dig out of one of the worst snowstorms in their recent history.

What has been described as a winter “weather bomb” by Environment Canada has forced the government to call a first-ever state of emergency for each province — which had an average of 65 cm of snow fall overnight. Halifax was the hardest city hit, expected to receive as much as 90 cm by today — shattering the city’s one-day snowfall record of 50.8 cm set in 1944.

Declaring a state of emergency gives police and emergency personnel the authority to order vehicles off the road and respond to emergencies on private property.

About 15,000 people in both provinces are without power. The storm’s reach, originally expected to hold in the East, stretched as far north as Moncton and Saint John. The heavy snowstorm and high winds were headed for Newfoundland today.

The TransCanada Highway was closed and the 13-km Confederation Bridge, which connects Prince Edward Island to the mainland was impassable. The snow levels on many other roadways are too high for even heavy trucks to pass safely.

But even as the storm dies down, transportation hurdles persist. Officials are warning that high tides could also bring storm surges — when water levels rise to higher than normal –which could lead to flooding in some communities.

— with files from Canadian Press and Reuters