Hurricane Arthur leaves 200,000 without power in Canada

Hurricane Arthur has left nearly 200,000 homes and businesses without power in Canada.

Post-tropical storm Arthur hit Atlantic Canada with near-hurricane strength winds and torrential rains Saturday, knocking down trees, drenching southern New Brunswick, the National Post reported.

Canadian Hurricane Centre officials said large offshore waves of up to nine metres would contribute to heavy, pounding surf along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, as well as probable rip currents.

An official of the Canadian Hurricane Centre said the storm slowed over Fredericton and Saint John late Saturday.

Arthur was downgraded from a hurricane to a post-tropical by the time it reached Canada.

Wind gusts topped 116 km an hour in the Halifax area, the official said.

Storm Arthur made landfall in the US state of North Carolina Friday.