Deadly thunderstorms, high winds leave a trail of damage in Waterloo region, Guelph

A deadlythunderstorm that saw fierce windstore through Waterloo region and Guelph on Saturday, causing extensive damage and leaving thousands of hydro customers in the dark.

Hydro crews spent a majority of the day restoring power and worked through the night in some areas where damage to power lines was done by fallen trees and limbs.

Environment Canada issued thunderstorm watches and warningsSaturday afternoon ahead of the storm which moved quickly through the areabringing ferocious winds, which at one point reached 132 km/hr at the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

That's the highest peak wind gust reported insouthern Ontario on Saturday, followed by Ottawa International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport at 120 km/hr, the weather agency confirmed.

Severe thunderstorms hit southern Ontario

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Several cities and towns were under a thunderstorm warning on Saturday as areas such as Kitchener, Ont., saw heavy rain and high winds.

"This is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation. Large hail can damage property and cause injury," Environment Canada said in a statement.

There were several outages across the region as of Sunday. You can see a map of impacted areas in Kitchener-Wilmot here, Guelph and Rockwood here, the Waterloo area hereand Hydro One here.

Fatal storm

There were at least four reported deaths across southern Ontarioas a result ofSaturday's storm.

Ontario Provincial Police(OPP) West Region said one person died and two others were injured after a tree fell on a camping trailer at Pinehurst Lake Conservation area in Brant County.

OPP saidthey were called to the area just before 12:30 p.m. Emergency crews found three injured people, who were all transported to hospital. One person was pronounced dead at the hospital, while the others were treated for minor injuries.

"Pinehurst Lake remains closed to new visitors at this time while staff continue to assess damages and clean up affected areas," saidCam Linwood, communications supervisor with theGrand River Conservation Authority (GRCA).

"I do not have a timeline for reopening to new visitors at this time," he said in a statement.

Linwood said some day-use sectionsand trails of the conservation area are closed for storm clean up.

The GRCA also closed off all GRCA rail trails, including the Elora-Cataract Trailway, and all GRCA natural areas, including Snyder's Flats.

Police reports

Waterloo Regional Police said its communications centre received220 reports of dangerous conditions across the region on Saturday. The majority of calls, about 167, came in over a three-hour time frame.

"As cleanup from the storm continues throughout the region, we are reminding the public to not remove branches or trees from power lines. Treat all downed wires as 'live'and do not approach them or touch them oranything in contact with them," police said in an emailed statement.

"Please do not enter areas that have been closed with caution tape, barricades and/or pylons," the statement said.

Police reminded people in a social media post that property damage due to fallen trees does not require a police report, and to contact your insurance provider instead.