Thousands Of Canadians Were Evacuated & Without Power On Thanksgiving Due To Massive Storm (PHOTOS)

It’s been a stressful and snowy Thanksgiving weekend for Manitobans in the southwest of the province, as a wild and destructive Manitoba snowstorm has been devastating the region since Wednesday. Tens of thousands are facing the prospect of yet another day without power.

According to Global News, as of yesterday, the province and the capital city have both officially declared a state of emergency.

As the Thanksgiving long-weekend draws to a close, officials have confirmed that it will take several more days to restore power in some of the areas that have been impacted by the snowstorm. Thousands of Manitobans and local businesses have been without power since Friday, October 11.

According to CBC News, First Nations leaders have also predicted that up to 5,000 people will also need to be evacuated on Monday, as communities in the area continue to suffer without any heating or power. 

The state of emergency declared by the province allows Manitoba Hydro to ask neighbouring power utilities in Saskatchewan, Ontario and Minnesota for help getting services restored.

Manitoba residents have been taking to social media throughout the long-weekend to share photos and videos of the unseasonally heavy snow. Despite the terrible weather conditions in the region, locals have still been taking to Twitter to share what they are thankful for. 

One Twitter user wrote, “Hour 45 with no power. Landlord says it will be two to three more days. It's the same temperature in my apartment as it is outside, and I'm so grateful that I have somewhere to be for Thanksgiving."

Another added, “Huge shoutout to Manitoba Hydro, Manitoba Roads, Manitoba RCMP and others for all the hard work you're doing to try to make life normal again after this storm. We are thankful for YOU this Thanksgiving weekend!"

While October snow in Manitoba is not entirely unheard of, this extremely heavy snow arrived considerably earlier than usual and has brought unexpectedly harsh conditions.

The heavy, sticky snow started pummelling the province as early as Wednesday and refused to ease-off into the weekend. According to the Toronto Star, more than a quarter-million people have lost power since the storm began, as the treacherous conditions brought down trees and power lines.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford tweeted to say that his province was ready to help Manitoba wherever possible. He wrote, “Our government has reached out to Premier Pallister to offer our full support in whatever capacity is needed."

Andrew Scheer also tweeted his support to the province, writing, “My thoughts are with all of the families who are affected by the snowstorms in Manitoba.”

The Prime Minister added, “We’re thinking of everyone in Manitoba still dealing with storm damage. Please stay safe, listen to your local authorities, and avoid fallen power lines.”

Environment Canada advised Manitoba residents to stay indoors whenever possible and to avoid travelling in areas with snowy and slippery road conditions.

Keep safe, Manitoba!