A powerful thunderstorm that swept through the Maritimes overnight Saturday caused lasting destruction and left thousands of people in the dark.
The Canadian Lightning Detection Network says over 10,000 strikes were recorded across the Maritimes, with Miramichi, N.B., seeing the most at 4,000.
A home in St. Margaret’s Bay was also struck by lightning.
"We just heard a loud bang. We all jumped and screamed at the same time," said witness Christina Rafuse of St. Margaret’s Bay, N.S. "I went out to help out and then eventually the fire trucks did get here. The home owners came home just before the fire trucks. It was really sad. They lost two dogs, (it’s a) really sad time for them."
Nova Scotia Power says up to 28,000 customers lost power during the storm. The vast majority are back on the grid, but it will be some time before people recover from rattled nerves.
"A few of those cracks were scary and makes you jolt and you know it hit somewhere close by," said witness Sue Slaunwhite.
Slaunwhite and her husband, Jim, say they hadn’t seen a storm like Saturday’s in years.
"Biggest one I've seen with the cracks and the rain,” said Jim Slaunwhite. “We had 60 gallons within an hour."
That torrential rain followed by marble-sized hail in some regions.
"We're not used to that,” said Sue Slaunwhite. “We don't see that too often."
Environment Canada says its one for the history book for the frequency of lightning strikes. They say the system should move out of the Maritimes by late Sunday night.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Marie Adsett.
