Possible tornado touches down in Manitoba

BRANDON, Man. – Environment Canada says it is possible a tornado touched down Thursday on the Sioux Valley First Nation west of Brandon, Man.

Chief Vince Tacan said two people were taken to hospital after their house was lifted off its foundation, “but they’re expected to be OK.”

Tacan said the roof was nearly completely torn off that house and seven other buildings on the reserve sustained damage as well.

“There’s probably three or four families to be evacuated as a result of this,” he said.

Witnesses said they saw a funnel cloud above the mostly badly damaged house.

Meteorologist Dave Carlsen said one caller reported seeing a twister touch down, adding people usually know what they’re talking about in such reports.

However, Environment Canada won’t be able to confirm the tornado until investigators look at the damage.

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It’s the second time in less than a week that a possible twister hit the region, with the community of Pipestone sustaining serious damage last weekend.

Carlsen said the stars are aligning this summer for bad weather.

“This time of year, especially mid-July, is the peak time of year in Manitoba for tornadoes to happen,” he says. “As to why it’s happening, you get things setting up just right. You get the moisture at the low levels, you get a jet stream in the upper part of the atmosphere, and you get a couple more ingredients together and you can get severe thunderstorms with tornadoes.”

Trees were also uprooted on a golf course near Shilo, Man.

Dave Scinocca, a golf pro at the Shilo Country Club, said it was hard to believe the damage he saw on the golf course where he works.

“I talked to the kid that’s working the pro shop, and he said all of a sudden it just got dark and hit them quick. It was like a flash flood. He says there was so much water … no one had time to really warn anybody or get anybody off the golf course.”

(CKLQ)