Leamington, Ont., under state of emergency after F1 tornado
Posted June 7, 2010 11:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
LEAMINGTON, Ont. – Cleanup is underway in the small southwestern Ontario town of Leamington after it was lashed by a powerful F1 tornado.
The town is under a state of emergency.
Devastation is widespread and Environment Canada will be heading to the tomato capital Monday to investigate.
One local resident said the 3 a.m. storm sounded like a freight train coming down the lake.
Winds of 120 to 180 kilometres an hour toppled century-old trees and power lines.
John Gleason’s 100-year-old spruce tree was snapped in half and his neighbour’s roof was torn off.
“We’re all fine, our house is ok, I mean, there’s a lot to clean up, but it could have been a ton worse,” Gleason said.
Environment Canada suspects the tornado was followed by a powerful downburst.
The same storm system killed seven people on the other side of the lake in Ohio.
In Elmwood, Ill., the roof collapsed on a movie theatre, where about 200 people had been moved to the basement.
