Families in shock, grateful after tornado rips down homes near Calgary

globalnews.ca:

A tornado that ripped quickly through Alberta’s Mountain View County Saturday has left several communities in shock.Environment Canada issued a tornado warning in the early afternoon after meteorologists had been following a severe thunderstorm through south central Alberta that turned into a tornado. At times, the tornado spanned two kilometres and moved at speeds of 40 km/h.Terri Lang, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada said the tornado formed just before 2 p.m.

and travelled east towards the south of Didsbury, and across Highway 2 before it dissipated.She said the tornado formed from a super cell storm, which is a long-lasting thunderstorm.“This one, single thunderstorm just continued on its way to the east and this tornado kept going on the ground for quite a long time,” she said.It was only active for about 30 minutes, but destroyed five homes and killed 25 cows and 20 chickens, RCMP said. One horse had to be put down.The tornado affected the small communities of Mountain View County, Didsbury, Carstairs and Olds, all located just north of Calgary.There was no loss of human life or injuries, according to police.

However, one woman was trapped in her basement as the tornado tore down her house overhead. Carstairs fire crews were able to pull her from the rubble.“That house was 100 per cent gone,” said Carstairs fire chief Jordan Schaffer.