Cleanup begins after tornado rips through south Ottawa

Residents in parts of southern Ottawa are left picking up debris after a tornado torethrough the area Thursday evening.

Environment Canada confirmed a tornado formed northwest of Metcalfe, a communityin ruralsouth Ottawa.

Noreported injuries were associated with the storm, Ottawa Paramedic Service said on Thursday evening. Butresidents across the area reported hail, driving winds and downed trees.

Jacques Jodoin, who lives near Kelly Farm Drive in Ottawa's Findlay Creek neighbourhood, said he sawfrom his backyard a funnel cloud forming.

"I saw the turning... cushions and garbage bins and everything turning," he said. "I saw everything turning and grabbing speed so then I ran in the house and went downstairs with my family."

According to a 6:53 p.m.news release fromEnvironment Canada, the tornado was located nine kilometres northwest of Metcalfemoving east at 50 km/h.

Associated hazards included hail the size of ping pong balls and wind gusts ofup to 90 km/h, the agency said.

Moments before, Environment Canada had issued itssecond tornado warning of the dayforthe area of Ottawa North-Kanata-Orlans.

Timelapse of funnel cloud forming in south Ottawa

1 year ago

Duration 0:21

This timelapse video shows a funnel cloud forming in South Ottawa on Thursday afternoon. Submitted by Gustavo Furlanetto.

Such storms are 'new to Ottawa,' resident says

The stormtoppled fences, uprooted trees and downedpower lines along Albion Road South.

Steve Spratt's propertywas among those damaged in the storm. Sprattsaid he was too busy chasing down his barbecue to notice that a huge tree in his front yard hadtoppled over. The Spratt family also owns the house next door, where a backyard shed was destroyed.

Spratt said he'sshocked that such storms appear to be growing morecommon inthe region.

Tornadoes hit the areathree weeks ago, whilea strong wind and hailstormfollowedlast Friday.

"This is new to Ottawa, and new to us," Spratt said. "We grew up in Ottawa and this wasn't happening when I was a kid."

Michel Simonot echoed Spratt and saidhe felt unprepared for when ahole was torn in the roof of his house.

"A tornado hits your house and it's like, what do you do? This is a new thing for Ottawa," he said. "[I feel] very overwhelmed I haven'tsettled yet from the adrenaline."

In a tweet, Ottawa Fire Services (OFS)said part of a roof had been ripped off a home onthe 4000 block of Canyon Drivein Riverside South.

OFS also said in a tweet it had closed Albion Road in both directionsjust north of the Rideau Carleton Casino due to downedtrees and wires.

Steve Desroches, city councillor for Riverside South-Findlay, tweeted that two911 calls were related to roof damage, but noinjuries have been reported.

Environment Canadahad previouslyissued awarning for the same areaat 5:36 p.m. before downgradingit to a tornado watch just before 6 p.m. At that time, thearea of Ottawa South-Richmond-Metcalfewas under atornado watch and severe thunderstorm warning.

Tornado watches mean storms may develop that could lead to a tornado. Tornado warnings mean a tornado has been reported or reliable information suggestsone is about to happen.

Tornado watches first issued around 11 a.m.covered Ottawa, Gatineau, western Quebec andOntario communities east of Ottawa to the Quebec border, west to Petawawa and Barry's Bay and south to Gananoque and Kaladar.

A severe thunderstorm watch coveredthe rest of eastern Ontario.