Watch above: Wynne says it’s a miracle no one was seriously injured by the Angus tornado. Mark Carcasole reports.
TORONTO – It’s “quite a miracle no one was seriously injured” following the devastating tornado that tore through Angus, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said as she toured the community, about 100 kilometres north of Toronto.
But residents could be back in their homes by Friday night as an influx of volunteers – including some from CFB Borden – help clear debris.
Wynne spent the morning in the small town, where residents are stilling waiting to return home after the tornado touched down.
“Having seen the damage, it’s quite a miracle that no one was seriously hurt,” she said. “This happened at a time of day when kids were home from school and families were getting ready for supper, and it’s quite remarkable that no one was hurt and that people made it into their basements and were safe.”
The premier also met privately with some Angus residents whose homes were damaged during the tornado.
Wynne said it’s still too early to estimate how much cleanup efforts will cost. The town’s mayor Terry Dowdall has previously estimated the cost could be in the millions.
READ MORE: Angus state of emergency remains in effect, over 100 homes damaged
Wynne told reporters the province is working with the township to ensure residents could return to their houses as quickly as possible.
“Of course there is a little bit of frustration about wanting to get back into their homes, but we have to make sure that everyone is safe,” she said.
Residents have been asked to stay out of their homes while officials continue to assess the damage, a delay that’s caused consternation for some.
Dowdall told reporters there’s still “dangerous debris to clear” before residents can return to their homes.
Wynne says it will take some time to determine if provincial disaster relief funding will be needed to help homeowners not covered by insurance.
The EF-2 tornado swept through Angus on Tuesday afternoon damaging more than 100 houses.
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