Extensive damage following possible tornado in Huron-Bruce

Wingham, Ont. -

There was no place to hide and there was no time to look. So, Judy Crawford and her husband retreated to their basement, as a storm roared across their waterfront cottage near Kingsbridge, Ont.

“We watched the storm coming in and all of a sudden, we said, ok here it is, it’s almost here. Then we realized this was more than just a storm that we were watching come in,” said Crawford.  

Just north of her Huron Shores Road cottage, a huge barn and shed were severely damaged along Highway 21, north of the community of Kingsbridge. Storm chasers spotted what appeared to be funnel clouds, both offshore of Point Clark, and inland, near Lucknow, throughout the afternoon and evening.

Further inland, just on the edge of Lucknow, Joel Toner, came home just in time to watch his property be mangled by what he thinks must be a tornado. 

“There’s quite a few windows that were smashed. We had them blown out. Our master bedroom is just full of water and leaves,” said Toner. 

Extensive damage, including a collapsed home under construction was reported by the Saugeen Shores Police in Port Elgin and Southampton. Hydro remains off for thousands of people stretching along the Lake Huron shoreline from north of Goderich, to Sauble Beach, and further inland. 

Investigators with the Northern Tornadoes Project will no doubt be heading to Midwestern Ontario on Wednesday to survey the extensive damage, focused most extensively on the Kingsbridge, Lucknow, and Saugeen Shores area. 

“We could hear trees cracking and smashing and falling. We’re just thankful that everybody up here is safe, and didn’t get hurt,” says Crawford, who will be cleaning up with neighbours, for most of the rest of this week, if not longer. 

Parts of Port Elgin and Southampton also suffered severe damage from Tuesday night's storm.

A home under construction on Northport Drive in Port Elgin was levelled and the roof on the Lakeshore Recreation Racquet Club was severely damaged, with yellow insulation littering the parking lot.

A large section of Bruce Road 13 between Southampton and Sauble Beach will be closed for "several days,” according to OPP, after trees and downed power lines littered the roadway.

Hydro remains out for thousands in Midwestern Ontario’s following last nights storm.