Some wicked weather wreaked havoc in the southeast corner of Saskatchewan on Wednesday night.
UPDATE: Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Prairie and Arctic Storm Prediction Centre (PASPC) has ranked the tornado an EF-2 with estimated wind speeds between 180-200 kilometres per hour.
A house in the area suffered major structural damage. Luckily, the family was able to seek safety in the basement and no injuries were reported.
Brenda Lemieux watched a funnel cloud beeline for her house while she was still inside.
“You don’t really have time to think,” she said. “You just have time to react.”
Lemieux and her partner grabbed pillows and blankets and huddled in the basement bathtub.
“About four minutes later the house shook and that was it. The roof….all that stuff was gone,” she said. “It’s unreal. It took maybe 30 seconds.”
Lemieux’s roof was ripped off the house, the walls were torn away and her living room couch was thrown across the lawn. A large outdoor storage container had also tumbled across the yard.
Lemieux said the community support has been overwhelming. “We must have had 30 people here last night to help pick up pictures and doing what they could,” she said. “It’s just wonderful…I’m so glad I live here.”
A series of severe storms developed across southeastern Saskatchewan and into southwestern Manitoba Wednesday night. The tornadic cell developed east of Carlyle and made its way towards Alida, Sask. The severe thunderstorm had also produced baseball sized hail.
The following reports were received by Environment Canada:
- Nickel sized hail reported at Storthoaks, Sask
- Quarter sized hail reported at Maryfield, Sask
- Quarter sized hail reported at Hargrave, Man.
- Loonie sized hail reported north of Moosomin, Sask
- Loonie sized hail reported near Birtle, Man.
- Toonie sized hail reported 7 kilometres west of Rivers, Man.
- Pingpong ball sized hail reported southwest of Birtle, Man.
- Golfball sized hail reported in Solsgirth, Man.
READ MORE: Canada’s second and third tornadoes of 2017 touch down near Saskatoon
That will be the fourth tornado recorded in Saskatchewan so far this year. There were three landspout tornadoes reported on May 14th near Hoey, Tway and Hepburn.
To stay updated with radar and weather alerts in your area, download the Global News Skytracker weather app for iPhone, iPad or Android.
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