Correction: This story originally identified Gilles Brine as Gilles Babin. Global News regrets the error.
New Brunswick is beginning to pick up the pieces after hurricane Dorian swept through the region, leaving over 50,000 customers without power in the province as of noon on Sunday.
The storm did not hit New Brunswick directly but brought heavy rain and strong winds that affected up to 80,000 NB Power customers were reported in southern New Brunswick and along the province’s Acadian Peninsula.
By noon it became clear that Riverview, Moncton and Dieppe were the hardest hit, with more than 25,000 without power in the area. In Bouctouche and Shediac, 11,000 are without power.
Marc Belliveau, a spokesperson for NB Power, said it’s too early to say when electricity will be restored for all customers in the province and that there will likely be some people without electricity for another night.
READ MORE: Hurricane Dorian arrives in Atlantic Canada
The storm surge caused a number of vessels at the Shediac Bay Yacht Club to be tossed out of the water and onto the shore.
Some locals said the damage was astounding but were happy that there was no loss of life.
WATCH: Wind, rain from storm thrash southern New Brunswick
Shediac town councillor Gilles Brine told Global News he is urging people to stay off the docks in Shediac.
“We don’t know if any are safe,” Brine said.
“This is the worst that I’ve ever seen, living my entire life in Shediac. It’s pretty devastating.”
A number of areas in Saint John remain without power due to fallen trees and damaged power lines and poles. Nearly 55 sites have been identified as presenting a hazard to the public.
Saint John Power says crews from a variety of agencies are working in the field on Sunday and that they’ll continue their work in the coming days.
WATCH: Trees litter Halifax streets, thousands of people without power after Dorian moves through
“The City has received reports of people trying to salvaging fallen trees off City roads, and in parks/squares,” Saint John said in a press release.
“While we understand and can appreciate the motivation to want to do this, it presents a serious risk as some of the trees remain tangled in power lines or are leaning on lines or other trees.”
The city is asking the public to stay out of all public squares and parks where trees have fallen until further notice as crews continue to work.
Saint John does not have an expected timeline for when they will complete their cleanup.
There were no reports of injuries in the Maritimes, but dramatic footage shared on social media showed a large crane swaying in the wind and collapsing into the side of an empty apartment building under construction in downtown Halifax.
Other images on social media showed scores of upended trees, a torn-up waterfront boardwalk, flooded streets, flying debris and streets blocked by tree branches and snapped tree trunks.
READ MORE: Canadian Forces to help Halifax with massive post-Dorian cleanup
As Dorian closed in on the Maritimes, it strengthened to become a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds reaching 160 km/h. But it weakened by the time it came ashore near Sambro, N.S., at 7:15 p.m. and was downgraded to a post-tropical storm.
Despite the apparent downgrade, Dorian continued to produce hurricane-force winds well above 120 km/h.
With files from Shelley Steeves, Andrew Cromwell and the Canadian Press
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