Two EF-1 tornadoes hit London during weekend thunderstorm
Two EF-1 tornadoes hit London during weekend thunderstorm
Saturday’s powerful storm left a lasting impact across Ontario as city crews continue to deal with the damage it left behind.
On Friday, Western University’s Northern Tornado Project reported that two EF-1 tornadoes touched down in London last weekend.
Environment Canada confirmed the group’s findings.
“The paths of damage are long and narrow, just a few hundred meters wide and kilometers long and that’s pretty much the telltale signs of a tornado,” said Dr. David Sills, the group’s executive director.
Sills helped investigate Saturday’s weather system which he said showed two locations in the city that were hit the hardest.
“The tornado started right here at this industrial building on Green Valley, knocking over a power pole…with lots of debris in the air,” he said.
Fallen trees are seen at Waterloo Street and Hyman Street in London, Ont. after a severe thunderstorm passed through the region on May 21, 2022. (Source: Shivang Padhiyar)
The Huron Heights area was also a target for one of the tornadoes in London.
“There was an apartment building that lost its roof covering and threw out a whole bunch of trees in the Huron Heights area, some very large and healthy that actually ended up at the airport that took off some hanger doors and flipped an airplane.”
Saturday’s severe weather left 10 people dead and caused severe damage to trees and buildings across the province.
“This is certainly one of the biggest storms I’ve seen,” said Scott Stafford, with the city’s parks and forestry department. “The amount of trees uprooted right out of the ground is substantial to other storms.”
A powerful thunderstorm rolled through southern Ontario on May 21, 2022, damaging buildings, toppling trees, and even flipping a small aircraft at London's airport. (Source: Richard Wozniak)
London city crews have been working around the clock to remove trees and debris from blocking roads and access to parks.
Stafford said the damage goes beyond forestry, as crews work to repair damage to roads, sidewalks and replant trees.
It could take several weeks or even months to repair all the damage from the storm, according to the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
AFN rejects resolution calling for Chief Archibald's suspension
An emergency resolution before the Assembly of First Nations annual meeting to reaffirm the suspension of National Chief RoseAnne Archibald has failed in Vancouver.

Two young ER doctors quit Montreal jobs, blaming Quebec's broken health-care system and Bill 96
Two young emergency room doctors, raised and trained in Montreal, are leaving their jobs after only two years to move back to Toronto – and they say the Quebec health-care model and Bill 96 are to blame.
Tamara Lich breached conditions by appearing with fellow convoy leader: Crown
The Crown is seeking to revoke bail for Tamara Lich, a leader of the 'Freedom Convoy,' after she appeared alongside a fellow organizer in an alleged breach of her conditions.
Parade shooting suspect charged with 7 counts of murder
A man charged Tuesday with seven counts of murder after firing off more than 70 rounds at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago legally bought five weapons, including the high-powered rifle used in the shooting, despite authorities being called to his home twice in 2019 for threats of violence and suicide, police said.
BREAKING | Woman who was set on fire on Toronto bus has died, police confirm
A woman who was set on fire while on a Toronto bus in a random attack last month has died, police say.
Bank of Canada's rapid rate hikes likely to cause a recession, study finds
The Bank of Canada's strategy of rapidly increasing its key interest rate in an effort to tackle skyrocketing inflation will likely trigger a recession, says a new study released Tuesday from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Canada is the first country to ratify Finland and Sweden's accession to join NATO
Canada became the first country to ratify Finland and Sweden's accession protocols to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday.
Northern heatwave melts records in Yukon, Northwest Territories
A northern heatwave is melting records in Yukon and Northwest Territories, where temperatures climbed above 30 C in the Arctic Circle.
'We're all really shaken up': Father recounts reuniting with missing daughter as U.S. man is charged
The father of the Edmonton girl who was missing for nine days said he was getting ready to post another update on Facebook last Saturday when police knocked on his door.