On Friday, September 21, two tornadoes ripped through Ottawa leaving heaps of damage. The first one is said to be a category EF-3, with winds topping more than 200 km/h in some areas. This EF-3 tornado primarily went through Dunrobin, Ont. and Gatineau, Que. The second twister, an EF-2, ripped through neighbourhoods in Nepean. Currently, there are 30 known injuries with five people suffering critical injuries from Dunrobin.
These deadly tornadoes caused an immense amount of damage. Initially, the storms severe damage to power lines and a transformer station caused over 100,000 people left without power but as of Sunday, it has reportedly been reduced to fewer than 70,000-80,000 in the Ottawa area and 8,300 in the Gatineau area. Dozens of homes, as well as stores, have been completely destroyed and there is yet to be an estimate of the total cost to restore all if this.
The two provinces have made considerable efforts in relief. Ontario’s government activated the province’s Disaster Recovery Assistance program in its affected areas and the Quebec government has given about $1 million to the Red Cross. The aftermath of these storms is unimaginable but unfortunately is the reality of many Canadians.
