NTP confirms 5 EF-2 tornadoes struck southern Ontario on Thursday
Posted July 18, 2021 9:07 am.
Last Updated July 18, 2021 12:12 pm.
A total of five tornadoes touched down in southern Ontario on Thursday afternoon including the one that devastated communities in Barrie.
According to survey teams from Western University’s The Northern Tornadoes Project, all five twisters had a preliminary rating of EF-2 with sustained wind speeds between 180 and 210 km/h.
The most devastating of the storms struck Barrie, as wind speeds of 210 km/h blasted the southern part of the city causing structural, tree and vehicle damage along a 12 kilometre track that measured 600 meters wide. A total of 11 people suffered injuries but none were considered life-threatening. Officials say upwards of 71 homes have been deemed uninhabitable.
Premier Doug Ford has promised residents the government will cover all costs that insurance companies don’t as they begin to rebuild. “we’re going to be here to step up. We’re going to be here for them,” he said on Friday while touring the devastated neighbourhoods.
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The NTP researchers say an EF-2 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 195 km/h injured one person, uprooted trees and tore the roof of one home in an area north of Zephyr.
Tornadoes reaching speeds of 190 km/h also caused tree damage near Dwight, Ont., and the Lake Traverse area while a barn and tree damage was reported from a tornado west of Lorneville.
While not the most number of tornadoes in a single day, it’s believed the July 15 twisters are the strongest to cut a swath of destruction across the province since 1985.
