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Canada Sends Armed Forces To Help Newfoundlanders Dig Out After Blizzard

Snow covers cars in Paradise, Newfoundland, Canada, over the weekend in this image obtained from social media.
Kim Porter via Reuters
Snow covers cars in Paradise, Newfoundland, Canada, over the weekend in this image obtained from social media.

The Canadian Armed Forces are helping residents dig out of the snow after a powerful blizzard hit the easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador over the weekend.

In the capital city of St. John's, the snowstorm completely buried cars and caused thousands to lose power. The massive storm dumped as much as 30 inches of snow on the city, according to The Guardian.

High winds created drifts that completely blocked doors and left many snowed in.

In a region accustomed to unruly winter weather, many residents took to social media to share photos and video of the storm's impact.

Mayor Danny Breen declared a state of emergency on Friday that will last through Monday as the city continues the mammoth work of trying to clear the streets.

Most businesses remained closed on Sunday and St. John's international airport said it would remain closed to commercial flights until at least 8 p.m. Monday.

Of those that were able to get out of their homes early, some took advantage of the unplowed roads. Watch for yourself:

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Wynne Davis is a digital reporter and producer for NPR's All Things Considered.