Clean up begins in southern Alberta following severe windstorm

CALGARY – Commuters in Calgary are being advised to watch for street closures and detours in the downtown as workers clean up debris from a powerful wind storm that tore into the city on Sunday.

Windows were ripped from an office building, power lines were downed and trees toppled onto vehicles when the city was blasted by wind gusts that peaked at well over 100 kilometres an hour across southern Alberta.

Several streets in Calgary were shut down and homeowners were urged to stay inside when the storm roared through, but no one was hurt.

City officials say the downtown core has been reopened to all vehicle and transit traffic and access has been restored to previously restricted buildings, but several streets are still closed for damage assessment.

Bus service with some detours is available through the core and Calgary Transit is working to restore its light-rail train service for the morning commute.

Police say that at the height of the storm, so much debris was coming off buildings that officers were struggling to keep up with all the calls.

The powerful winds also fuelled a grassfire that forced over 100 people from their homes near Lethbridge.

Lethbridge fire department platoon chief Jesse Kurtz said early Monday that while the fire was under control, it continued to burn.