Hurricane Fiona poised to be among strongest storms ever to hit Canada

Canada is bracing for what could be one of the strongest storms ever to touch down on the country, as the category 3 Hurricane Fiona makes its way up the Atlantic coast.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre said the storm would make landfall in eastern Nova Scotia as a powerful post-tropical storm early on Saturday, bringing with it heavy rain, powerful winds and storm surges.

Forecasters warned that the storm could affect a swath of the country, including Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, south-eastern New Brunswick, western and south-western Newfoundland, and some parts of Quebec bordering the Gulf of St Lawrence.

Heavy rains and flooding are expected, especially to the north and west of the storm, which left more than a million people without power in Puerto Rico as it churned across the Caribbean.

On Friday, Hurricane Fiona touched down on Bermuda, hitting the island with heavy rain and high winds. Authorities in the area opened shelters and closed schools, reports the AP.

In Canada, a hurricane watch has been issued over much of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.

Emergency notifications about the storm have been sent in Nova Scotia, with authorities warning people to stay inside, charge devices and avoid coastlines as wind damage and power outages are possible.

Local residents have also been preparing for the impending storm, reported CBC, sharing a number of storm prepping techniques on social media, such as keeping extra batteries on hand and using ice to keep food cold in case of a power outage.

Meteorologists are especially concerned about the potential damage from storm surges in coastal areas.

Hurricanes in Canada are rare, with storms usually losing their power as they reach colder waters. But the storm heading towards Canada still has hurricane-level winds.

Officials have continued preparing, readying shelters for people to use before the storm touches down.