An Atlantic storm in Canada made its presence felt on Saturday in the western part of Nova Scotia province, downing trees and power lines with gusting winds and heavy rain.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Lee made landfall on Long Island, situated southwest of Halifax, and was packing winds of 70 miles per hour (110 kilometers per hour).

The NHC said the storm was causing coastal flooding across parts of Maine and Atlantic Canada and would continue spreading northward.

One dead, thousands without power

The first fatality attributed to the weather system occurred in Searsport, Maine, when a large tree limb fell on a vehicle during high winds, leaving a man dead.

Lee left around 144,000 people without power in Nova Scotia after high winds knocked down trees. Neighboring New Brunswick had 37,000 without power due to the storm.

Authorities in Halifax have warned people to remain indoors and not risk going out while the storm passes.

"We've seen images of people near the waterfront, and it's unnecessary, and it's dangerous," Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said in a briefing. "The worst of the storm hasn't hit us yet."

The NHC warned that heavy rain from Lee could cause localized flooding in parts of Maine and New Brunswick.

Dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents would continue to affect the US East Coast, Atlantic Canada, Bermuda and other areas through Sunday.

kb/wd (Reuters, AP)