The emergency that St. John's Mayor Danny Breen announced on Friday was still in effect on Saturday. Shops and the city's airport were closed.
The Canadian federal government promises support and does not rule out calling in Army reservists to help with the snow removal. Primary tasks are to transport the snow and plow roads to the hospital.
Canadian media reports on how people are literally digging out their houses and photos on Twitter show how an avalanche has penetrated into the living room of a house located next to a hillside in St. John's.