A strong thunderstorm lasted about 10 minutes, but Nathan Cunning said that was enough time to blow up the entire roof of his barn in Quonset and cause damage worth thousands of dollars to his property in Langdon.
“We received a warning on our phone that there was a possible tornado and we came to look outside and then it started to sound very bad and very fast,” Cunning told CTV News as he investigated the damage from the storm on Tuesday night.
“It was intense. I mean, it was hitting the walls and the windows, and my house was shaking pretty well that it almost rose.”
Damaged building in the Nathan Cunningh property near Landon, Alta. as a result of the storm on Tuesday night.
The storm, which followed northeast between Langdon and Chestermeer, is thought to have caused a tornado along with strong winds and rain.
According to people living nearby, the hail was the size of a large ping pong ball. Heavy weather tore through several large holes in Cunning’s garage and caused several trees to fall, including one that fell directly on his car parked in front of his family’s home.
“The shed, the playhouses, the whole yard is an absolute carnage,” he added.
Tuesday night’s storm knocked down large branches of a property near Langdon, Alta, east of Calgary.
Dave Nickerson, who lives just five miles away, was on site Wednesday morning to help the Canning family remove trees and clean their yard.
“It was quite dark, quite windy and wild,” Nickerson said.
“I didn’t expect it to be as crazy as here because it knocked down two buildings and knocked down cans, so it’s definitely a storm.”
Damage to the cladding of Nathan Cunningh’s home near Langdon, Alta. after Tuesday’s storm.
A tornado clock issued for Rocky View County near Chestermer was only active for a short time, but spoke of potential damage to people and property. Environment and Climate Change Canada has warned property owners to take appropriate precautions during severe weather events.
“Enter an indoor room on the lowest floor, away from exterior walls and windows, such as a basement, bathroom, staircase or interior closet,” the tornado warning said Tuesday night.
“Leave mobile homes, vehicles, tents, trailers and other temporary or free-standing shelters and move to a strong building if you can. As a last resort, lie down and protect your head from flying debris.”
As of Wednesday, there is no official confirmation of a tornado falling in the region during Tuesday’s storm.
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