Powerful winds rock Baffin Island, send debris flying through Iqaluit | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Powerful winds rock Baffin Island, send debris flying through Iqaluit

Original Publication Date October 05, 2018 - 7:11 AM

IQALUIT, Nunavut - Iqaluit residents spent Friday clearing damage caused by wild winds that sent debris flying through the streets of Nunavut's capital overnight.

"Some of our roof has blown off," Alia Bigio said in an interview.

"There's insulation blowing around. I haven't actually gone outside to look at the damage yet, but people keep driving by our place and slowing down, taking pictures, so I think there's a few pieces missing."

The Qulliq Energy Corp. tweeted overnight that a section of downtown Iqaluit lost power due to windblown debris landing in its distribution system, and that safety concerns were preventing crews from making repairs in some places, but power was restored Friday.

By mid-day, Environment Canada ended a wind warning that had predicted gusts of up to 140 km/h and had urged people to protect themselves from windblown objects.

The gusts were to moderate as the storm system moved out to sea.

The city said it was clearing the streets and resuming some limited services such as waste removal and water delivery. They had been suspended while the howling storm was at its peak.

The Nunavut government also closed many offices throughout the territory.

"It felt like you were on a boat for a while," said Tara Braund, who said metal sheets from the roof of her townhouse in Iqaluit were wrapped around utility poles and nearby vehicles.

One sheet severed a power line, she said.

"We have two little ones. Somehow they slept through it, but we sure didn't."

Braund added she hoped people living in shacks and tents in the city were OK.

RCMP said there were no reports of injuries.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2018
The Canadian Press

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