Strong winds damage homes, uproot trees in southern Quebec
Environment Canada issued tornado warning for parts of the region Sunday afternoon
Strong winds destroyed a residence in Hébertville, a municipality in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, on Sunday.
Environment Canada issued a tornado warning for parts of southern Quebec earlier in the afternoon, but later downgraded the notice to a severe thunderstorm warning.
While the federal weather agency did not confirm that a tornado actually did form in the region, citizens report seeing flying debris.
"It lasted only 10 seconds," said Hébertville resident Marie-Hélène Gravel. "There were large pieces of wood twirling in the sky and they all fell into the field behind my house."
"It's my friends who live here," said Délisca Gagné, a neighbour living in the area. "It makes me want to cry."
The local fire chief said despite the damages, no one was injured.
Many trees were also uprooted by the winds.
CBC's French-language service Radio-Canada reported that another house in Sainte-Anne-du-Lac in the Laurentians was nearly destroyed and that a house in Ascension-de-Notre-Seigneur had its roof damaged.
With files from The Canadian Press