Deadly storm hits Ontario and Quebec


Ontario Provincial Police have confirmed they have opened an investigation into the death of a 44-year-old man in Greater Madawaska Township, an hour from Ottawa. Like other victims, the man in question succumbed to his injuries after being struck by a tree.

The City of Ottawa has confirmed that the storm killed one person west of its territory, while two other people are in critical condition after a tree fell on a golf course.

A 51-year-old woman also lost her life on the Ottawa River after her boat capsized, confirms the Gatineau Police Service.

The storm that hit the federal capital region was described as enormous by the mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson. In a press briefing, he explained that the storm swept all corners of the City, depriving residents of electricity in all neighborhoods . Around 10 p.m., nearly 180,000 subscribers ran out of power, according to the local distributor, Hydro Ottawa.

A tree uprooted after a storm hit Ottawa.

Winds exceeded 100 km/h Saturday afternoon in Ottawa.

Photo: Keith Egli, Ottawa City Councillor, Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale

The storm caused considerable damage to the distribution network, with the City confirming 122 equipment failures on its territory. These breakdowns disturb the circulation of the light rail of the federal capital, which cannot function for lack of electricity.

A city spokesperson said operations to restore power could take several days.

At least two more dead in Ontario

Earlier this afternoon, one person died and two others suffered minor injuries when a tree collapsed on their trailer in a camping area at Pinehurst Lake, between Hamilton and Kitchener.

In Brampton, a western suburb of Toronto, a woman was struck by a falling tree while walking outside. She did not survive her injuries.

In Toronto, police had to respond to rescue an unknown number of people when a pleasure boat capsized during a thunderstorm near the shore of Lake Ontario. None of the passengers were taken to hospital.

A tree trunk embedded in a roof.

A tree shattered the roof of a house near the Petit Portugal neighborhood in Toronto.

Photo: CBC

Environment Canada had previously issued severe thunderstorm warnings for Toronto, Ottawa and other areas of Eastern Ontario, warning of winds that could exceed 130 km / h and even mentioning the risk of tornadoes.

Most of these alerts were lifted around 4:30 p.m.

By 10 p.m., nearly 345,000 Ontarians were still without power, according to Hydro One.

Quebec hit hard

The violent winds also left traces of their passage in Quebec. More than 516,000 Hydro-Quebec customers were without power around 10 p.m. Saturday evening.

We currently have several dozen teams in the field, and are mobilizing our employees massively for the night and the day of tomorrow. assured a spokesperson for Hydro-Quebec.

The Laurentians, Outaouais and Lanaudière regions are the most affected regions, while major centers such as Montreal and Laval have been relatively spared.

In Saint-Sauveur, witnesses reported the presence of electrical wires on many roads, leaving them impassable.

In the Capitale-Nationale, gusts tore the roof off a 70-unit residential building. Residents were cared for by the Red Cross.

Severe thunderstorm and tornado watches had been issued for several regions of southern Quebec early Saturday afternoon. The tornado watches, which concerned Estrie, Drummondville–Bois-Francs, Mauricie, Beauce, Québec and Montmagny-L’Islet, were lifted during the evening.

Residents of northwestern New Brunswick were also on high alert on Saturday. Environment Canada was monitoring the path of thunderstorms formed in the state of Maine moving towards the province, which could develop into severe thunderstorms.



Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca

Leave a Comment