Environment Canada confirms the tornado that struck Mascouche, Que., on Monday travelled three kilometres across the community with winds reaching between 180 and 220 km/h.
An estimated 50 homes were destroyed by the category EF2 storm. A man in his 60s was killed after the shed he had taken shelter in was destroyed.
Guillaume Tremblay, the mayor of Mascouche, says the cleanup is expected to take many days.
“You’d think it’s a scene from an American movie, but we’re in Quebec,” said Tremblay from the community about 40 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
He said his heart goes out to the family of the man who died.
“It’s a sad episode,” he said. “I think it’s a human reflex to want to run and find shelter.”
The Canadian Red Cross is deploying teams to Mascouche, Que., where the organization is expecting to help 50 to 100 people displaced by a tornado that touched down there Monday, killing one man. 1:13
