Storm Dorian topples huge crane in terrifying footage as 100mph gales and extreme floods smash Canada
THIS is the terrifying moment a huge crane topples over and smashes into a building in Canada as 100mph Storm Dorian swept in last night.
Incredible footage shows the construction crane collapse under the awesome power of the deadly storm – which as claimed hundreds of lives.
Dorian – now classed as a post-Tropical cyclone – smashed into the Canadian city of Halifax on Saturday afternoon local time.
There were no immediate reports of injuries from the crane crash – which came as trees were ripped up and mass blackouts were reported.
Halifax, population 430,000, is the regional capital of Nova Scotia – which was right in the path of the apocalyptic storm Dorian.
Power was out for more than 300,000 people in the province – a day after the storm wreaked havoc on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
BRACED FOR IMPACT
Residents braced for heavy rainfall and potential flooding along the coast – as officials in Halifax urged people to secure heavy objects.
Erica Fleck, assistant chief of community risk reduction, said: “We don’t want citizens of Halifax roaming downtown as the water comes in.”
In the city’s south end, a roof was ripped off an apartment complex, and firefighter Jeff Paris said several buildings were being evacuated.
He said that with the collapsed crane and the downed trees and power lines, it’s fortunate there are no significant injuries or deaths.
Tim Rissesco, who lives on the east side of Halifax harbour: “The power went out hours ago, but we were well prepared.
“We’ve got snacks and food and we’re hunkered down in the house playing board games and watching the rain and the wind.”
As Canada prepared for Dorian, floodwaters receded Saturday from North Carolina’s Outer Banks, leaving a muddy trail of destruction.
The storm made landfall Friday morning over the Outer Banks as a far weaker storm than the monster that devastated the Bahamas .
Yet despite having been downgraded to a Category 1 storm, it still sent seawater surging into homes on Ocracoke.
More than 1,100 Bahamians arrived in Palm Beach, Florida, after being evacuated by cruise ship from their hurricane-battered islands.
The Grand Celebration cruise ship returned to its home port after setting sail Thursday for Freeport, Grand Bahama.
It delivered more than 112 tonnes of supplies and ferry dozens of health workers and emergency crews.
LANDFALL IN CANADA
The storm made landfall Saturday evening near Sambro Creek, about 15 miles south of Halifax with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph.
Forecasters said the centre of Dorian was expected to move across Nova Scotia and then move to Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday.
Canadian officials prepared for the possibility of flooding, washouts and storm surges.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the military was mobilising to assist Nova Scotia.
FREAK WEATHER EVENT
Hurricanes in Canada are rare in part because once the storms reach colder Canadian waters, they lose their main source of energy.
The last hurricanes to make landfall in Canada were Hurricane Igor and Hurricane Earl in September 2010.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Dorian was officially a post-tropical cyclone, not a hurricane.
But it still packed hurricane-force winds.
At least five deaths in the US Southeast were blamed on Dorian.
Four were men in Florida or North Carolina who died in falls or by electrocution while getting ready for the hurricane.
North Carolina officials said a 67-year-old man died Friday in Pamlico County after he collapsed while cleaning storm debris.
MOST READ IN WORLD NEWS
Dorian slammed the Bahamas at the start of the week with 185 mph winds, killing at least 43 people and obliterating countless homes.
From there, it swept past Florida and Georgia, then sideswiped the Carolinas on Thursday.
Dorian span off huge tornadoes that peeled away roofs and flipped cars.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.