Quebec Premier François Legault arrived in Mascouche Tuesday afternoon to tour the devastation wrought by a deadly tornado that swept through the suburb north of Montreal on Monday.
The twister touched down in the area Monday afternoon as humidity, rain and thunderstorms descended on southern Quebec, prompting warnings from Environment Canada.
The weather event tore through the community, killing a 59-year-old man identified by the coroner as Jacques Lefebvre. The victim appeared to have taken refuge inside a shed when the tornado struck, according to police. Two other people were also injured.
Environment Canada says a thunderstorm cell at around 3:45 p.m. generated the tornado.
Meteorologists who surveyed the damage Monday evening say their preliminary findings suggest the tornado’s maximum wind speeds measured between 180 and 200 km/h, consistent with an EF2 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The scale rates wind damage between zero and five, with five being the strongest.
READ MORE: Man dies after tornado touchdown in Mascouche, northeast of Montreal
Legault’s visit began with a quick briefing with Mascouche Mayor Guillaume Tremblay, followed by a walk-through of hard-hit neighbourhoods.
Legault surveyed the extensive damage and stopped to speak with residents.
One woman recounted how her house shook.
“It felt like the roof wanted to leave,” she told the premier. Her husband was at work at the time, but his primary concern was with his family’s safety.
“I asked her if everything was OK, if she was injured, if my son was injured,” he said when she called him at work in shock. “She said ‘no’ so everything is good if no one is hurt.”
The damage to the home, however, is significant. The couple told Legault they are in discussions with their insurance company to figure out the next steps.
Tremblay said 60 homes in the community were “gravely” damaged, while municipal infrastructure was for the most part spared.
Earlier in the day, Tremblay said the city was caught off guard by the twister, but its emergency response plan was quickly put into action and worked well. He said the whole community is with the victim’s family and he also thanked those who sprang into action when the high winds crept in, including police and firefighters.
“You lived up to a tough situation,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “We are counting on you for the next few days.”
Quebec Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault described it as “extreme weather phenomenon” on social media.
“Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones,” she wrote. “Our government teams are mobilized on the ground to come to the aid of the disaster victims and to support the municipal authorities.”
Legault also expressed his condolences on social media Monday evening, but he also took a moment to visit grieving family members in person on Tuesday.
The premier also reiterated the province’s willingness to help, promising the mayor and local MNA Mathieu Lemay there would be financial assistance for the cleanup if needed.
“Mathieu and Guillaume will keep me informed and we’ll help them financially,” Legault said.
As residents took stock Tuesday morning, a city spokesperson confirmed that anywhere from 50 to 100 homes were affected by the tornado. At least one family was assisted by the Red Cross. Some vehicles were also damaged.
The tornado downed trees and snapped electrical wires. As a result, Hydro-Québec had to cut power in some areas.
Tremblay said of 1,200 clients left in the dark, 80 per cent had their power restored Tuesday afternoon, while the remaining 20 per cent would likely have to wait another day.
A cleanup is underway in the community, where emergency are clearing debris in affected areas and citizens are surveilling damage to their properties.
Some residents have already started repairs to their homes and roofs.
—with files from Global News’ Dan Spector, Brayden Jagger Haines and The Canadian Press