'It was unlike anything I've ever seen': Cleanup underway after tornado touches down near Chatsworth, Ont.
A tornado left behind a trail of destruction after it touched down Saturday just east of Chatsworth, Ont.
The twister toppled trees, flattened buildings and left some roads impassable.
Roxie Zehr and her five children saw the tornado coming just before it hit her home.
“We ran to the basement and thankfully it was just in time. It happened so quickly.”
When she emerged, she was stunned by the damage.
“It was overwhelming to see it all. Mudroom, garage… gone.”
In less than 10 minutes the tornado destroyed nearly everything the Zehr family owned. Their van was crushed by fallen trees, and their personal belongings were left scattered among building debris. The family’s 100-year-old barn was also levelled.
“I’m finding parts of our house three-quarter kilometres back in the field,” added Brandon Zehr.
While there’s not much left on the property, the family says what’s most important is that everyone is safe.
No injuries have been reported in the township.
“Just seeing all this, it just makes you realize what’s important,” says Roxie Zehr. “All that stuff we had really means nothing.”
The community is helping the family to clean up the property.
Volunteers are also working to remove downed trees from the roadways.
Scott Mackey, Chatsworth’s mayor, says there’s a lot of work that still needs to be done over the next week.
“We’ve had two barns that have been completely destroyed, couple of other houses that are suffering from some structural damage.”
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” says Brittney Wright.
She caught some of the aftermath on her camera.
“The trees were down, corn fields were completely flat. At one point we saw a barn completely flat on the ground.”
Wright left her apartment after being alerted by a tornado warning.
Rob Kuhn, a severe weather meteorologist for Environment Canada, says those messages can sometimes appear on the radar quickly.
“Sometimes it’s short-fused, last minute. It’s a balance. You want to give the head’s up, but if you go too far ahead it’ll be a false alarm.”
Environment Canada says at least one tornado touched down Saturday.
A team from Western University’s Northern Tornadoes Project is investigating the damage left behind by the storm.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.