Campers hospitalized after tornado touches down at Alberta campground

Some campers at the Dillberry Lake Provincial Campground were hospitalized on Wednesday night after a tornado touched down.

An Alberta campground was evacuated after a tornado touched down on Wednesday night.

RCMP say it happened at the Dillberry Lake Provincial Campground, about 290 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, near the Saskatchewan border.

Everyone staying at the campground has been accounted for, according to Mounties but some were hospitalized.

Their conditions were unknown as of Thursday morning.

“We are still waiting on confirmation at this point as there have been a couple people that have been evacuated or that have been taken to hospital, but we don’t have any further updates on that at this time,” Const. Sanda Geiger of the Alberta RCMP told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday morning.

The campground was damaged by the tornado, but information is still sparse.

“There was structural damage done at the campground. Aside from that, I don’t have any photos or any specific information,” Geiger said.

Emergency crews were still at the campground on Thursday morning.

“Right now RCMP are remaining on scene. Essentially, they’re there to hold the scene, so that individuals can come back during the day and figure it out,” Geiger said.

“First off, there’ll be a damage assessment done, but holding the scene so that people can come back and gather their private property and personal belongings.”

The Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) confirms two tornadoes touched down in Alberta on Wednesday, including one at Dillberry Lake.

“The NTP has confirmed that there were two tornadoes last evening, southeast of Edmonton, Alberta and near the border with Saskatchewan, based on video and photo evidence,” Dr. David Sills wrote in an email to CTV News Edmonton.

“The first tornado occurred southwest of Paradise Valley, Alta. So far no reports of damage there.

“Unfortunately, the second tornado southeast of Chauvin, Alta. appears to have gone through a provincial park. A flipped trailer, tree damage and minor injuries are reported there. It continued southeast into Sask.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti