Friday 21 August 2009

Tornado photos from Gravenhurst

UPDATE:

Environment Canada has confirmed that an F0 tornado hit Gravenhurst Aug. 20. An F0 is said to be the least-impacting.
Winds between 60-110 kilometres an hour. Nothing to sneeze at (or in!). Amazing how GR didn't make any news.
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I cannot believe it!
I went into Gravenhurst and saw some terrible damage.

As I commented last post - these are only buildings and a shelter can be replaced. AFAIK no one is hurt. You can see how the trees landed on a roof, rather than people. This is a good thing, methinks.

I know the homeowners are in shock. Some are standing around watching crews take down branches and debris. Some have a look of relief on their faces. I can only imagine what it must have sounded like.

I first approached Gull Wing Lake Park. It was totally closed and had numerous HUGE trees down.


Behind the beer store wires were down on the road.

God bless our hydro crews who are now working away at this problem. I was 10 days without power during Ice Storm '98, and I always bow deeply in honour of our hydro crews. They walked on water as far as we were concerned.


Anderson's produce had a stand near the beer store. It had an issue with the mother of all trees.


What is so sad are the houses. But they can be rebuilt. People cannot.


This tree split, with a half of the 'Y' still upright. We have good tree people around who can decide if it has to go or not. Such a shame, these beautiful old trees. Nature is a powerful beast.
This family has 'Peeps', as my son calls them. They know people. Their branches are gather and stacked. The roof is tarped. The insurance adjuster will be along shortly and things will be fixed.
The LCBO will be busy tonight! I wish I could buy a case for our crews. Skills, training and good people in Muskoka!

Deadly Skies: Canada's Most Destructive Tornadoes | CBC Archives

12 May 2008 ... Tornadoes can be the most violent storms on earth

7 comments:

VioletSky said...

I live in Burlington and was spared so much of the damage. Citytv was focusing on Vaughan and Woodbridge - I didn't realize so much damage had occurred in Gravenhurst as well. It is indeed fortunate that there were so few injuries (and only 1 fatality).

Carolyn said...

Hi Jenn,
Mother Nature has no equal, when she is happy there is nothing more beautiful when she is angry she is terrifying. I am sorry that there was one death but happy there were no more. As you say the buildings can be replaced. Hopefully there is lots of support for those that have been traumatized by this, police, fire, rescue, homeowners they will all need support.
Blessings to you and yours
Carolyn

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Jenn: Thank you for all your local reporting. This year's weather up there has been something else and has cost so much in terms of lives lost and other lives put in danger trying to help or clean up.

Jenn I have given you the Bella Sinclair Award. You can check my latest post. A couple of posts previous the Bella Sinclair Award is described in more detail.

Lorac said...

It was a nasty all right! I thought mu little house would blow away! The colour of the sky was a sickly green!

Powell River Books said...

Those were some mean winds! We get the worst winds here on the coast usually in November it seems. They funnel up the lake and hit us pretty hard at the cabin. I lie in bed and hear it coming like a freight train over the hills before it slams into us and send us out on our cables for a jerky ride. One storm brought down about twenty trees across the bay from us. Fortunately the ones on our cliff were spared. - Margy

EG CameraGirl said...

Oh my goodness. I see the storm reached you too!

We were lucky here in my small piece of East Gwillimbury. But a mile or two away "as the crow flies" trees were uprooted and roofs were torn off a riding stable leaving a mess. Nothing like Woodbridge and Maple, though, where whole neighbourhoods are not fit to live in now.

We could see the ferocious flashing of lightning over Toronto and knew without being told by the radio that something terrifying was happening.

Glad your safe!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Power lines and tree damage are one thing but I hate it when people's houses are damaged or destroyed. That can be such a hardship.