Three people have been killed and more than 350,000 without electricity after an intense thunderstorm hit southern Ontario on Saturday afternoon.
The severe weather system left fallen trees and downed power lines on its way as emergency crews across the province were flooded with calls for help.
The tragedy first occurred in Brampton, where police said a 70-year-old woman was walking alone in the Belmont Drive and Birchbank Road areas when she was hit by a falling tree.
Mubsher Zaman was nearby when he said he saw two feet sticking out from under the branches.
“We just kept telling the lady, ‘Don’t worry.’ Keep breathing. Keep breathing, “Zaman told CTV News Toronto.
The woman was transported to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Hours later, provincial police said a tree fell on a camping trailer in the Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area near Kitchener, killing one person and injuring two.
The deaths are not limited to the Greater Toronto area. Ottawa police confirmed late Saturday that one person died in the storm, although details of their deaths were not immediately disclosed.
Provincial party leaders took to social media after the storm to convey their condolences to the friends and families of the victims.
During the height of the extreme weather event, Toronto Fire said it had received nearly 150 calls from people seeking help. At the same time, the Toronto Police Department (TPS) was forced to close its slow office due to the influx of calls.
Const. Alex Lee said TPS had received up to 360 service calls within a two-hour window.
Deputy Fire Chief Tony Bavota told CP24 on Saturday that a firefighter was injured after being hit by a falling tree while responding to a call to 911, and was transported to hospital in stable condition.
At least one other person was seriously injured in downtown Toronto as strong winds and rain hit the city. The details of the incident are unclear, but Toronto paramedics told CP24 that a 40-year-old woman was transported to a trauma center as a result of her injuries.
MORE THAN 350K WITHOUT POWER
At the time of writing and according to Hydro One, more than 350,000 people are without electricity after the storm.
The company said it was responding to power outages across the province and advised people to stay at least 10 meters away from all failed power lines, even if they appear to be out of voltage.
In Toronto, the exact number of those without power is not known, as the Toronto Hydro interruption card is not available “due to the large volume of interruptions”
In a statement to CP24, the company said it was still assessing the extent of the damage and that equipment broken during the storm could hamper recovery efforts.
“In many cases, trees and tree branches need to be removed first to make the area safe for our crews to work,” a spokesman said. “We remind our customers to be safe, especially if they come across a broken power line.”
TIME SIGNAL ISSUED
A signal from Environment Canada was sent to telephones, television screens and radio stations in Ontario around 12:45 a.m., warning residents to “hide” as the threatening weather approaches.
The agency said the option to issue an emergency weather warning was included in their system last June, but this is the first time it has been used.
Officials said they chose to use the warning because of strong winds near Kitchener, which were expected to reach gusts of about 131 kilometers per hour.
At Pearson Airport in Toronto at about 1 p.m., winds are blowing at 120 kilometers per hour.
EXECUTIVE POSITION IN UXBRIDGE
Uxbridge has declared a local state of emergency after the city suffered significant damage as a result of the storm.
Authorities said widespread power outages continued and many roads were forced to close due to downed power lines and fallen trees.
The images taken by CP24 show the destruction of the ground with parked vehicles, almost completely and surrounded by nearby destroyed structures.
Although not confirmed by Environment Canada, there are reports online that a tornado fell in the area and near Whitchurch-Stouffville.
Residents who spoke to CP24’s Bakari Savage said they expected the cleanup to take months.
With files from Katherine DeClerq
Add Comment