Hurricane Arthur slams eastern Canadian provinces, causing power cuts

Hurricane Arthur has hit Canada's eastern seaboard with powerful winds and torrential rains, knocking down trees and leaving many without power.

Canadian hurricane centre spokesman Chris Fogarty said winds were easing, but more rain was predicted for drenched southwestern New Brunswick.

In Fredericton, New Brunswick, Mike Gange said the buffeting winds tore down a maple tree in his front yard, damaging roof tiles and a rain gutter as it fell. He said that as he drove around the provincial capital he saw about 25 homes with trees down.

Gange said he has not seen weather this severe in his 41 years in Fredericton. "It's like a Tasmanian devil ripping through your backyard," he said. "It's crazy here ... at times it rains so hard you can't see [three metres] in front of you."

Arthur was downgraded from a hurricane to a post-tropical storm on Saturday by the time it reached Canada. A day earlier it hit the Outer Banks in the US state of North Carolina.

Environment Canada measured wind gusts topping 116km/h in the Halifax area, while nearly 13cm of rain had fallen in New Brunswick.