Massive snow drifts keep Iqaluit closed for second day in aftermath of blizzard
Iqaluit residents woke up to massive snow drifts Friday morning after a blizzard swept through the city the day before.
The city closed down Thursday morning and reopened at 3 p.m. local time on Friday, though all city facilities remain closed.
“As snow clearing activities are still underway, residents are advised to exercise extreme caution,” city communications and customer service manager Aleksey Cameron wrote in a public service announcement.
The city had also advised residents to stay off the roads earlier in the day.
The main streets are now clear of snow, but side streets are still being cleared.
Environment and Climate Change Canada originally issued a severe weather warning for Iqaluit Wednesday and forecasted 20 to 30 centimetres of snow and 90-kilometre-per-hour winds.
Weather records for the day show wind gusts up to 117 kilometres per hour.
Heavy equipment crews with the city have been working since 4 a.m. to clear the roads, along with two contractors.
Schools and Nunavut government offices were also shut Friday morning.
The city said residents on trucked water and sewage should continue to conserve water as it tries to get services up and running again.
Trucked services will resume Saturday morning.
