At least two residents of Port aux Basques, N.L. were reported to have been swept away from their homes into the ocean as post-tropical storm Fiona battered the region Saturday morning.
Bystanders rescued one woman who was “tossed into the water,” according to RCMP Cpl. Jolene Garland, and she is believed to be in good physical condition.
The RCMP has opened a missing person case as a result of the other report, Garland added, as the storm conditions haven’t allowed officers to investigate the area where she was said to have been swept out to the ocean.
The two cases are not related, and Garland said the two cases are the only injuries the N.L. RCMP is aware of right now. While the worst of the damage has passed now that the tide has gone out, she said authorities are “concerned” about the impact the evening’s high tide could have.
Everyone in the affected area of Port aux Basques has been evacuated, Garland said.
Meanwhile, many residents have taken to social media to share images of their homes crumpling into the ocean as post-tropical storm Fiona battered the area.
The storm made landfall early Saturday morning, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and slamming the region with severe wind and heavy rain. Hundreds of thousands have been left without power in eastern Canada.
Port aux Basques is under a “state of emergency,” the Newfoundland and Labrador RCMP shared in a tweet just after 10 a.m. ET.
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“First responders are dealing with multiple electrical fires, residential flooding and washouts,” the tweet read.
“Residents are asked to obey evacuation orders and to find a safe place to weather the storm.”
The town’s mayor, Brian Button, confirmed to The Canadian Press that some houses have been washed away amid high winds and surging seas.
In a post shared to Facebook, at least one home can be seen floating away in the flooded waters.
“My heart is so broken for everyone in Port Aux Basques right now,” wrote Amanda Kirkpatrick, who posted the photo.
Wreckhouse Press, an independent community newspaper and book publisher in Newfoundland, also shared multiple images of the destruction.
A home can be seen teetering on the edge of a small cliff in an image the newspaper described as “the view from (their) office window right now.” The image was posted at 7:24 a.m. ET.
Another user shared an image on Twitter of a home with half of the land below it washed away into the ocean.
Near Port aux Basques, residents of the town of Burnt Islands shared similar images of destruction. One Twitter user shared a number of images where structures can be seen floating away in open water — one of which he described as his “family shed.”
Burnt Islands declared a State of Emergency on Saturday morning on their Facebook page, urging residents to stay in their homes unless they’re in danger.
“Please do not be out on the roads as they are unsafe at this time,” the post reads.
“If you have an emergency or need assistance, please call the fire department pagers at 698 3000 or call the town office.”
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