Yesterday at 18:44
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Two people remain in critical condition, and more than 170 thousand are still without power today, a day after a tornado ripped through parts of Ottawa and Gatineau in Canada, CBC News reports.
The two individuals were among six taken to a hospital. A dozen other minor injuries were reported.
The tornado touched down in Dunrobin, a rural community in western Ottawa, and then it headed east across the Ottawa River towards Gatineau Park, according to Environment Canada.
Around 30 to 40 homes were damaged, and some people could still be left trapped in buildings, said Anthony Di Monte, general manager for Ottawa’s emergency and protective services.
“In these situations, we kind of have to go house to house. Power’s down. Communication is problematic, and in a couple of areas, fire [department] is indicating that some people are trapped and we’re attending to them,” he said.
Power loss, lack of traffic lights, and debris caused traffic problems. Ottawa has opened several emergency shelters for displaced people who need help.
Take a look at the severe damage in the Mont-Bleu area of Gatineau.
Details on the tornado's damage: https://t.co/pV74dcy1fx #ottawa #ottstorm #ottnews #ottweather pic.twitter.com/PTTYtmtPdX
— CBC Ottawa (@CBCOttawa) September 21, 2018
A tornado has devastated parts of Dunrobin, just west of Ottawa. #ottawa pic.twitter.com/COrbaDof6p
— Michel Boyer (@BoyerMichel) September 22, 2018
Based on damage reports, the tornado was likely an EF-2, meaning sustained winds of 179 to 218 kilometers per hour.
The damage is nearly as serious as the 1998 ice storm, said Joseph Muglia, the director of distribution operations with Hydro Ottawa.
