A thunderstorm that brought high winds and a possible tornado downed trees, flooded streets and destroyed barns in the Ottawa area on Wednesday.
Tornado warnings were issued, but later lifted for Ottawa South, Richmond, Metcalfe, Perth, Cornwall, Morrisburg, Prescott, Russell, Maxville and Alexandria. Winds of up to 110 km/h were reported.
The storm flooded streets in the Barhaven neighbourhood of Ottawa. More than 20,000 people in the nation’s capital lost power.
In Smiths Falls, which is about 77 kilometres southwest of Ottawa, Cassie and Rob Campbell’s two barns were destroyed.
They believe a tornado hit their property. Environment Canada has not confirmed whether any touched down.
Rob Campbell said he was having lunch when his wife told him there was a tornado warning.
“I told her not to worry, they’re just warnings, they never really happen,” he said. “Less than five seconds after I told her that, I got a call (saying), ‘Two of your barns are gone,’ so I finished my sandwich and came home.”
Debris from the barns was scattered on an adjacent field. The cattle were uninjured.
Rebecca McGovern, who lives near the Campbells, said she too believes that a tornado passed through.
Other homeowners in the region are dealing with downed trees. Donna Lafrance of Russell, Ont., came home to find a tree uprooted in her yard and a shed’s mangled tin roof in a field behind her home.
Lafrance had just finished cleaning up from a major storm in July, she said. “I was in total shock,” she added. “I thought maybe I’ll move to Alaska.”
Social media users shared photos and videos of the extreme conditions.
BREAKING: correction this viewer video from Celine Paquette is St. Isidore as storm blew in. Looks like a snow storm. More @ctvottawa at 5 and 6 #storm pic.twitter.com/gzNk8mSHEG
— CTV Ottawa (@ctvottawa) August 29, 2018
BREAKING: Here's the video from #SmithsFalls aftermath of storm. Two barns completely destroyed @ctvottawa pic.twitter.com/tFfjFQYiXV
— Catherine Lathem (@CatherineCTV) August 29, 2018
BREAKING: Incredible pictures from @ctvottawa viewer Rebecca McGovern from #SmithsFalls her neighbours barns completely flattened. Cattle inside ok. She tells us it looked like a #tornado, that is unconfirmed by @environmentca pic.twitter.com/UxQZduIp0p
— Catherine Lathem (@CatherineCTV) August 29, 2018
Here's a photo of the damage of the storm.
— Hydro Embrun (@Hydro_Embrun) August 29, 2018
Voici une photo du dommage de la tempête. pic.twitter.com/veNq0SLsYW
Flooded street in Barrhaven#storm #ottnews #ottawa #weatherwarnings pic.twitter.com/q4rMogjVGX
— John Crupi (@johncrupictv) August 29, 2018
With reports from CTV Ottawa’s Annie Bergeron-Oliver and Leah Larocque