Tornado Update | Claustro

Tornado Update · Jun 26, 03:09 am

Well, Environment Canada has now confirmed that not one, but two tornadoes ripped through Midland on June 24. The first was an F2 tornado (on the Fujita scale) with peak winds of between 180 and 240 km-h. The twister travelled for 25 kilometres, with a maximum width of damage around 300 metres. Numerous mobile homes were severely damaged or destroyed in a trailer park at the south end of town. The second tornado was an F1 tornado spawned from the same thunderstorm and this travelled for approximately 12 kilometres and had peak winds between 120 and 170 km-h. Damage from the second twister was intermittent, with a barn, silo and a garage being the most notable.

Carol and I took some time today to follow the paths of both tornados and ended the day visiting with Residents of Smith’s Trailer Park and Campground where damage from the first tornado was truly unbelievable (see pics). Some trailers were literally torn to bits while other were flipped over and still others were picked up and hurled hundreds of feet away … while others, quite unexplainably, were completely untouched. It was quite eerie, almost as if a very large bomb had gone off.

We had the opportunity to talk with several long time park residents and to hear first hand what it was like for them to have weathered out an F2 tornado – and from what I heard I’d have to say that it’s definately not recommended for the faint of heart! Other residents only learned of the tornado the same way we did – on the news – and then made the drive up to Midland only to find their summer getaway and home-away-from-home literally torn apart and strewn throughout the campground. What a shock and quite saddening for families who had raised their children and then grand children summering at this park. Devastating.

And quite honestly … after seeing the carnage first hand, and although several people were injured, it’s quite hard to believe that no one was killed.

Our hearts truely go out to everyone affected by this unfortunate event.

— Stu Leggett

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