Hurricane-force winds prompted police to urge drivers to clear off the roads while emergency crews dealt with the damage. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary issued a statement advising motorists to avoid “all non-emergency travel” until the blustery weather subsides. Flights were grounded at St. John’s International Airport, where winds gusted up to 158 km/hr, the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane, according to Environment Canada. “Power restoration is hard to estimate while high winds continue to wreak havoc on our system,” the utility tweeted Saturday. Another resident in the provincial capital region, Dave Herder, said he has never seen winds so severe in St. John’s.

Source: thestar March 12, 2017 01:00 UTC