Southern Ontario is still cleaning up and making repairs after Friday’s sudden windstorm.
Gusts of between 90 and 110 km/h knocked down hydro lines, trees, and damaged hundreds of homes.
In Cambridge, a house under construction on Freure Drive collapsed during the storm.
“I have never experienced anything like it,” says neighbour Shah Ali. “It was constructed up to the second level and I think they were about to roof it. But I guess the extreme wind was too much.”
Four people have also been killed. In Milton, two tree service workers died after being trapped under a tree. A Hamilton man was killed after witnesses say he was trying to clear wires that had fallen on the road, and in Toronto, a man died after being struck by falling scaffolding.
Hydro One says 545,100 customers lost power during the storm. Crews have restored hydro to approximately 486,410 customers as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
Power is expected to restored to Guelph customers by 11 p.m. Sunday, and to Haldimand, Lincoln, Norfolk and Simcoe by 6 p.m.
Hydro One says 267 poles were damaged and must be replaced in southern Ontario.
In Ayr, Boida Avenue remains closed due to damaged hydro lines. Energy+ Inc. says those customers will be without power until Monday because the hydro lines will have to be rebuilt.
The Grand River Conservation Authority says downed trees and other damage has forced the closure of several parks and trails. Brant Park in Brantford, Shade’s Mills in Cambridge, Belwood Lake, the Elora Gorge and sections of the Elora Cataract Trail are now closed.
They’re asking residents to exercise extra caution.
“It’s not just the tree that have fallen across trails and roadways,” says GRCA spokesperson Cam Linwood. “It’s those trees that could be hung up on other trees as well. So not only look down, but look up too.”
The GRCA doesn’t know when the parks and trails will reopen. They say more areas could be closed or access could be restricted as they continue to assess the damage.
“There’s still a lot of work ahead of us to get the parks opened and operating at full capacity again,” says Linwood.
The Township of North Dumfries has also closed all sports fields. They say they don’t expect them to reopen until May 14th.
Crews meanwhile, are already hard at work clearing Rockway Gardens in Kitchener. Several large trees fell or were damaged during Friday’s storm. Workers spent Sunday morning cutting up the trunks and clearing the garden of fallen branches.
Coincidentally, May 6th is the start of Emergency Preparedness Week. The province is reminding residents to check their emergency kits and plan ahead in case of an emergency.
