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Tropical Storm Leslie will make a landfall in Newfoundland, Canada on Tuesday Morning. The Canadian Hurricane Center (CHC) said that Leslie could arrive as a hurricane or a strong tropical storm on Canada’s east coast.
Tropical Storm Leslie in Canada (Photo Credit: http://www.gdacs.org)
Bob Robichaud, CHC forecaster and Meteorologist for Nova Scotia, said that wind gusts could reach up to 49 miles an hour in the Cape Breton area while in the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, wind gusts could reach up to 62 miles an hour.
Canadians along the East Coast have prepared for the arrival of Leslie. Residents have loaded up emergency supplies and secured patio furniture. Newfoundland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman Cheryl Gullage said its crews ensured that culverts and ditches were cleared to facilitate rapid runoffs. She also warned people to stay away from fast moving bodies of water. “We’ve taken preparedness measures within our control to mitigate large damages but we have no idea how this will impact until it actually hits,” Gullage said. Authorities are also prepared to transfer people to shelters if it’s really important.
But even before Leslie batters Eastern Canada, a flood has already invaded the streets of some parts of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Heavy rain caused two rivers to spill their banks and a lot of dikes gave way that resulted deluge in Colchester County.
Last weekend, Hurricane Leslie made its landfall on Bermuda, but Bermuda Police Service reported zero incidents of any major damage or injuries.
Awareness and preparedness during natural calamities should not just be the priorities of government and individuals. We should also make sure that our hospitals and local blood banks have sufficient blood products. Accidents can happen anytime, and if there weren’t enough blood supplies at hospitals at times when someone needs it the most, lives could be compromised. Let us avoid this from happening.
That’s why here in BloodBanker, we are sending out storm warnings for all countries with the hope that people would take time to donate blood before storms hit your place. Storms are inevitable, but blood shortage is something that we can avoid. Of course, this can only happen if eligible donors would step out and regularly roll up their sleeves.
Help eliminate the blood shortage, Join the International Blood Registry.