Clean-up underway after severe storms spawn tornado near Ottawa
Several rounds of intense thunderstorms swept across parts of eastern Ontario and southern Quebec through the day Thursday, prompting widespread tornado warnings throughout the region.
PHOTOS: Quebec cleans up after storms bring severe winds, flooding
After starting with heavy rain and strong thunderstorms across southwestern Ontario early Thursday, eastern Ontario took the brunt of the severe weather, with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) confirming at least one tornado in Barrhaven, south of Ottawa. A survey team deployed to the area will perform an assessment of the damage on Friday.
"Damage reported included roof damage, broken windows, power and utility outages as well as damage to trees," ECCC said. "At this time the damage reported seems to be western portions of Barrhaven."
According to city officials, the tornado left at least 125 homes damaged.
Despite the damage, only one minor injury was reported, Ottawa paramedics said via CBC News. The city set up a family reunification centre at the Minto Recreation Complex at 3500 Cambrian Rd. for families that needed a place to stay for up to 72 hours.
The storm continued to push east through the afternoon, where wind damage, power outages, and localized flooding were reported in southern Quebec.
Downed trees in Sorel-Tracy in southwestern Quebec. July 13, 2023 (Joey Olivier/MeteoMedia)
Hydro Quebec reported more than 490,000 customers were without power at 3:20 p.m. local time, though some of those were due to protection mechanisms linked to the forest fires in the Baie-James area that had interrupted three transportation lines.
"We are currently working on bringing back the power on those lines," said the agency.
Check out photos and videos of Thursday’s storms taken by folks in the area, below:
My house getting hit by a tornado wasn't in my plans for today. #onstorm #barrhaven pic.twitter.com/oDEekiYKic
My house getting hit by a tornado wasn’t in my plans for today. Theresa on Twitter: "My house getting hit by a tornado wasn't in my plans for today. #onstorm #barrhaven pic.twitter.com/oDEekiYKic / Twitter" Theresa on Twitter: "My house getting hit by a tornado wasn't in my plans for today. #onstorm #barrhaven pic.twitter.com/oDEekiYKic / Twitter" Theresa on Twitter: "My house getting hit by a tornado wasn't in my plans for today. #onstorm #barrhaven pic.twitter.com/oDEekiYKic / Twitter"
— Theresa (@Theresa_English) Theresa on Twitter: "My house getting hit by a tornado wasn't in my plans for today. #onstorm #barrhaven pic.twitter.com/oDEekiYKic / Twitter"
Safe after the #tornado #barrhaven Neighbours checking on neighbours pic.twitter.com/peanRtxSkJ
Safe after the Alison Kinahan she/her on Twitter: "Safe after the #tornado #barrhaven Neighbours checking on neighbours pic.twitter.com/peanRtxSkJ / Twitter" Alison Kinahan she/her on Twitter: "Safe after the #tornado #barrhaven Neighbours checking on neighbours pic.twitter.com/peanRtxSkJ / Twitter"
Neighbours checking on neighbours Alison Kinahan she/her on Twitter: "Safe after the #tornado #barrhaven Neighbours checking on neighbours pic.twitter.com/peanRtxSkJ / Twitter"— Alison Kinahan she/her (@ak_yxe) Alison Kinahan she/her on Twitter: "Safe after the #tornado #barrhaven Neighbours checking on neighbours pic.twitter.com/peanRtxSkJ / Twitter"
Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi
Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! Karim Halwaji on Twitter: "Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi / Twitter" Karim Halwaji on Twitter: "Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi / Twitter" Karim Halwaji on Twitter: "Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi / Twitter"
— Karim Halwaji (@karimhalwaji) Karim Halwaji on Twitter: "Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi / Twitter"
Tornado was ripping away roofs in #barrhaven #ottawa. Hope everyone is doing okay! pic.twitter.com/zLAtVQ21N6
Tornado was ripping away roofs in Aman on Twitter: "Tornado was ripping away roofs in #barrhaven #ottawa. Hope everyone is doing okay! pic.twitter.com/zLAtVQ21N6 / Twitter" Aman on Twitter: "Tornado was ripping away roofs in #barrhaven #ottawa. Hope everyone is doing okay! pic.twitter.com/zLAtVQ21N6 / Twitter". Hope everyone is doing okay! Aman on Twitter: "Tornado was ripping away roofs in #barrhaven #ottawa. Hope everyone is doing okay! pic.twitter.com/zLAtVQ21N6 / Twitter"
— Aman (@AmanWhoScripts) Aman on Twitter: "Tornado was ripping away roofs in #barrhaven #ottawa. Hope everyone is doing okay! pic.twitter.com/zLAtVQ21N6 / Twitter"
Tornado in #Barrhaven #Ottawa, just behind Aura Ave. #ottnews #ottstorm pic.twitter.com/C0SZsJvWG4
Tornado in Arthur on Twitter: "Tornado in #Barrhaven #Ottawa, just behind Aura Ave. #ottnews #ottstorm pic.twitter.com/C0SZsJvWG4 / Twitter" Arthur on Twitter: "Tornado in #Barrhaven #Ottawa, just behind Aura Ave. #ottnews #ottstorm pic.twitter.com/C0SZsJvWG4 / Twitter", just behind Aura Ave. Arthur on Twitter: "Tornado in #Barrhaven #Ottawa, just behind Aura Ave. #ottnews #ottstorm pic.twitter.com/C0SZsJvWG4 / Twitter" Arthur on Twitter: "Tornado in #Barrhaven #Ottawa, just behind Aura Ave. #ottnews #ottstorm pic.twitter.com/C0SZsJvWG4 / Twitter" Arthur on Twitter: "Tornado in #Barrhaven #Ottawa, just behind Aura Ave. #ottnews #ottstorm pic.twitter.com/C0SZsJvWG4 / Twitter"
— Arthur (@kurarturs) Arthur on Twitter: "Tornado in #Barrhaven #Ottawa, just behind Aura Ave. #ottnews #ottstorm pic.twitter.com/C0SZsJvWG4 / Twitter"
Tornado touchdown in Barrhaven pic.twitter.com/tr9ixZZbV0
Tornado touchdown in Barrhaven Lanlin on Twitter: "Tornado touchdown in Barrhaven pic.twitter.com/tr9ixZZbV0 / Twitter"
— Lanlin (@lanlin_zhang) Lanlin on Twitter: "Tornado touchdown in Barrhaven pic.twitter.com/tr9ixZZbV0 / Twitter"
Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @CFRAOttawa #ottweather pic.twitter.com/GluRlso7gd
Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. Stewart Green on Twitter: "Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @CFRAOttawa #ottweather pic.twitter.com/GluRlso7gd / Twitter" Stewart Green on Twitter: "Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @CFRAOttawa #ottweather pic.twitter.com/GluRlso7gd / Twitter" Stewart Green on Twitter: "Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @CFRAOttawa #ottweather pic.twitter.com/GluRlso7gd / Twitter" Stewart Green on Twitter: "Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @CFRAOttawa #ottweather pic.twitter.com/GluRlso7gd / Twitter" Stewart Green on Twitter: "Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @CFRAOttawa #ottweather pic.twitter.com/GluRlso7gd / Twitter" Stewart Green on Twitter: "Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @CFRAOttawa #ottweather pic.twitter.com/GluRlso7gd / Twitter"
— Stewart Green (@StewartGreen81) Stewart Green on Twitter: "Tornado / funnel cloud in Barrhaven. Lots of debris everywhere. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @CFRAOttawa #ottweather pic.twitter.com/GluRlso7gd / Twitter"
Damage photos from Barrhaven via Laurie Gillespie on Twitter:
WATCH: Tornado touches down in southern Ottawa, damaging homes
onstorm pic.twitter.com/wty3OJIMBK
tlmh on Twitter: "#onstorm pic.twitter.com/wty3OJIMBK / Twitter" tlmh on Twitter: "#onstorm pic.twitter.com/wty3OJIMBK / Twitter"
— tlmh (@TLMM) tlmh on Twitter: "#onstorm pic.twitter.com/wty3OJIMBK / Twitter"
Centretown Ottawa just now. #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/OG1nJIm3ae
Centretown Ottawa just now. Kevin Knapp on Twitter: "Centretown Ottawa just now. #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/OG1nJIm3ae / Twitter" Kevin Knapp on Twitter: "Centretown Ottawa just now. #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/OG1nJIm3ae / Twitter"
— Kevin Knapp (@knappkm) Kevin Knapp on Twitter: "Centretown Ottawa just now. #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/OG1nJIm3ae / Twitter"
Thumbnail image of damage in Barrhaven courtesy of Laurie Gillespie via Twitter.