Much of Canada woke up this Friday covered by a white mantle. Although during the winter the North American country usually registers low temperatures, those of these days are an exception.
A 3,000-kilometer-long polar air front led the authorities to issue an extreme cold alert for temperatures that will reach -20 and up to -30 degrees Celsius in various cities of the country.
The alert issued by the Canadian Weather Service applies to this Friday and Saturday and anticipated that the capital will be one of the places where the most adverse weather is recorded. so, in Ottawa the thermal sensation will reach the -40 degrees.
For his part, in Toronto – the largest Canadian city – authorities said temperatures will be 10 degrees above, in -30 degrees Celsius, and advised the population not to leave their homes. Meanwhile, for those who must go abroad, they asked limit time spent outdoors since there is a risk of freezing.
Although most people followed the advice of the experts and stayed at home, some brave ones took to the streets and shared some postcards of the day on social networks. tracks covered in white, snowflakes falling from the sky and people riding their bikes on a narrow path free of snow are some of the most viewed images.
To deal with this, the municipal authorities have arranged centers to whom the homeless people can come over to be safe until Sundaywhen it is expected that the temperatures rise again. Those who have difficulties to properly air-condition their houses.
However, some Internet users have warned that the government shelters have quickly filled up, which left many people still on the streets, where their lives are in danger. Such is the case of photographer Chris Young, who photographed a man sleeping on the sidewalk in Toronto when the thermometer marked -29 degrees.
In turn, in both cities it has been stressed that the law protects pets, so both dogs and cats -among others- must be kept inside the home and not be exposed to low temperatures.
The central and western zone of Canada – the second largest area in the world after Russia – woke up in a similar scenario. For example in winnipegone of the main cities of the country, the citizens realized that their thermometers showed temperatures of -24 degrees and a thermal sensation of -35 degreessomething extreme even in this region accustomed to the cold.
Montréal -in eastern Canada- is another of the cities most affected by this cold front that will leave, tonight, temperatures of -27 degrees and it will receive Saturday with even more cold, with about -40 degrees of thermal sensation.
There the municipality also enabled two emergency centers so that about 100 homeless people can take refuge from the cold.
Meanwhile, in the Atlantic coast provinces such as new brunswick temperatures could drop to -50 degrees given its proximity to the sea, a figure never reached in the last 40 years.
(With information from EFE)
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Source-www.infobae.com