BELMONT, ONT. -- It’s the second time the Belmont area has been hit with a tornado in just over a month.
Northern Tornadoes Project crews confirm a tornado hit the area for a second time on Sunday, tweeting, “An EF0 tornado was confirmed in the Belmont area with prelim length 9.3 km and max wind 125 km/h.”
West and Odell street right near the downtown core, saw most of the wreckage.
“I drove over the hill my stomach sank because I could see all the trees and leaves, everything all over the road,” says Jessica Johnson-Avery, a mother of two.
Johnson-Avery who has lived on the street for 25 years says her neighbours saved the day.
“The neighbours bought chainsaws, they started cutting trees and clearing up the debris…they were here in under 20 minutes. I love this place,” says Johnson-Avery.
Janet Kennedy owns a home with her mother just a few lots down. Kennedy says it's the biggest storm she has ever seen.
“It lifted that maple tree so it was just sitting on top of the house, so that was scary,” says Kennedy’s mother.
“A neighbour came down and he cut the branches that we’re leaning on the house, another neighbour came and helped tarp the roof,” says Kennedy.
Even the neighbourhood kids came out to lend a hand and pick up sticks.
“I helped our neighbours clean up their walnuts out of their yard and clean up a couple sticks and branches,” says Cameron Richardson.
Johnson-Avery’s two children, Zander and Kilah decided to return the favour by helping the Richardson’s clean up their back yard, so Cameron decided to thank them sweetly.
“Since they helped clean up our yard too we gave everyone that helped cookies,” says Cameron.
Zander says the cookies were ‘Really good’ and he promises to bake some banana bread for the family.
The neighbourhood in Belmont say they do feel unlucky to have been hit by a tornado but that they feel very lucky to be able to rely on one another.
“I don’t know everyone's name but I would like to thank them all. It was really a great experience seeing all these people help you that don’t even know you,” says Kennedy.