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Cleanup underway in Quebec town after tornado that left one man dead

Jun 22, 2021 | 7:30 AM

MASCOUCHE, Que. — A Quebec town just north of Montreal is cleaning up today in the aftermath of a tornado that tore through Monday afternoon. 

A man died after trying to take shelter in his shed in Mascouche, Que., while two other people were injured when the tornado touched down at around 4 p.m.

Mayor Guillaume Tremblay says the city was caught off guard by the twister, but its emergency response plan was quickly put into action and worked well.

A spokesperson for the town says nearly 100 buildings were damaged by the tornado, and the Red Cross said between 50 and 100 people were being taken care of with offers of food, clothing and temporary shelter.

Environment Canada confirmed from videos and photos posted online that a tornado had occurred. It had issued severe thunderstorm watches for many areas of southern and central Quebec, due to high humidity and high temperatures.

The agency is expected to dispatch a specialist to the scene to examine the severity of the damage and get a better idea of the tornado’s strength.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2021.

The Canadian Press