Tornado rips through Lachute, damaging more than 300 buildings

More than 300buildings, including homes and the local arena, were damaged ina tornado that swept through Lachute, Que., the city'smayor said Wednesday.

It took betweenfive to 10 minutes for the storm to blow by, leaving behind a path of destruction in its wake.

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"Roofs, cabanas, pools and the exterior siding of homes wereheavilydamaged," said CarlPloquin.

At least one home's roof was torn off, but there are no reports of injuries.

Alain Marineau lives at thathome, which isat the corner of Gougeon and Principale streets. When he started to feel the house vibrating, he decided to go outside and see what was going on.

"I told my wife 'Move back, I don't know if the house will lift,'" he recalled.

He was greeted by destruction and debris on the streets of his neighbourhood. Then, he looked up and saw the roof of his house was gone.

Marineaustayed at a friend's last night and returned to his house Wednesday morning. He fought back tears when asked how it felt to see the damage to his home.

"It's It's hard, for sure," he said.

Hebought the home in Mayand was in the process ofrenovating it. The basement was finished and he had been working on the main floor.

'We are there for you'

The cityopened a temporary shelter for the roughly 40 people who couldn't stay in their homes,but everyone who was forced outspent the night with friends orfamily,Ploquinadded.

As of Wednesday afternoon,Ploquinsaid that the situation is "under control" but that up to 20 people can still not return home.Two information centres have also been set up in the town for residents.

"We are there for you and we will support you," saidPloquin, adding that some will have major home repairs to do.

TenHydro-Qubeccrews were out all night and restored power to a number of clients, and the majority of residents should have power back by the end of Wednesday.

Ploquinsaid representatives from Quebec's Public Security Ministry as well as from the Red Cross are in the town to provide assistance, adding that the situation had already improved bythis morning.

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"The important thing is that no one was hurt," he said.

"The rest is material."

The Sret du Qubecwill also remain in the town as residents and city officials continue with the cleanup.

Environment Canada confirmed the tornado earlier Wednesday.

Ren Hroux, a meteorologist withthe weather agency, saidit was an EF-1tornado, with winds up to 180 kilometres per hour, thattouched down around 6:10 p.m. Tuesday.

Tornadoes are measured on a scale of F0 to F5, with F5 being the most intense.

In this the case, the tornadodeveloped as part of a storm that hammered parts of southeastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec