Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard took a break from the campaign trail Saturday to tour the Outaouais region after a tornado ripped through the Ottawa-Gatineau area on Friday, leaving thousands without power.
In the hardest hit areas, homes were destroyed and several people were injured.
WATCH: Tornado rips through Gatineau
On Friday, Couillard tweeted his intention to visit the affected zones and meet with residents as well as municipal authorities.
On Saturday, others followed suit, including Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault, Parti Québécois leader Jean-François Lisée and Québec Solidaire co-spokespersons Manon Massé and Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
READ MORE: What you need to know in the aftermath of the Ottawa-Gatineau tornado
Lisée said Saturday morning that he only made the decision to visit after consulting with Gatineau’s mayor to ensure the visit was welcome.
Legault, for his part, kept a scheduled meeting with a group of mayors north of Montreal but cancelled an afternoon appearance to head to Gatineau.
At a press conference Saturday, Legault said it wasn’t a day to play politics.
“I think it’s important that all the parties show their solidarity, support the premier and reassure the population, because there are people who have lost a lot materially and will need to be reimbursed if they’re not insured,” he said.
READ MORE: Here’s what we know about possible cost of the Ottawa-Gatineau tornado
Meanwhile, in Gatineau, work is underway to repair damage, with nearly 200 municipal employees out in the field.
At least $1 million has already been made available by the province of Quebec to assist the Red Cross in immediate recovery, including transportation of people to temporary housing facilities and food.
Couillard said on Saturday while surveying the damage that more will come if needed, but putting a finger on the cost isn’t yet possible.
Public roads are being cleared of debris, and as a safety precaution, roads in the hardest hit area will be off limits. The city also said that Saint-Joseph Boulevard will be closed to traffic between Mont-Bleu Boulevard and the Jean-Proulx traffic circle.
Motorists are being urged to steer clear of the area to enable crews to work unimpeded.
READ MORE: Strong winds, heavy rain knock out power for thousands across Quebec
City officials are also warning evacuees and residents whose properties were damaged not to return home until they have been given the go-ahead by authorities.
Inside the affected zone, there are 201 buildings, including 1,686 residences. Damage includes uprooted trees, downed traffic lights and damaged buildings.
Fire officials are out inspecting municipal buildings and other infrastructure to assess damage and ensure the structures are safe.
READ MORE: From the inside of a tornado, a Gatineau man shot video on the third floor of his building
More than 585 people have registered at the victim’s centre set up at the Cégep de l’Outaouais in Hull.
As of 11 a.m. Saturday, 35,997 Hydro-Québec clients were without power in the Outaouais region By 5 p.m., that number had dropped to 18,728. More than 200 teams were dispatched to restore power not only in Gatineau, but several regions of Quebec after high winds knocked out power to thousands.
READ MORE: In photos: Ottawa-area tornado leaves broken power lines, levelled homes, fallen trees in its wake
Anyone wanting to help can make a donation to the Canadian Red Cross. Local residents can also drop off non-perishable food items as well as gently used clothing and personal hygiene products at the former Sears store on the ground floor of the Galeries Hull shopping centre.
— With files from The Canadian Press and Global’s Amanda Connolly
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