“Five deaths were reported and several others were injured as a result of the strong winds associated with this thunderstorm line,” said a weather summary for Ontario and the National Capital Region. “There was also extensive damage to trees, power lines and buildings. Overturned cars were also reported, as well as widespread power outages.”
The line of thunderstorms developed late Saturday morning near Sarnia, an Ontario town, and moved across southern Ontario towards Ottawa on Saturday afternoon, according to Environment Canada.
The storm left more than 350,000 customers without power, and “many power outages continue to this day,” the agency said Sunday.
Storms also swept through central Quebec on Saturday, resulting in broken branches, uprooted trees, damage to buildings and “more than 500,000 homes without power,” Environment Canada said.
Hydro Quebec said on its website that service restoration progressed overnight and Sunday morning, with nearly 500 crews mobilized on Sunday.
“Severe thunderstorms that swept across Quebec Saturday night caused many power outages, mainly in the Laurentians, Outaouais and Lanaudière. At the peak of the event, approximately 550,000 customers were without power,” Hydro Quebec said on its website.
Currently, Hydro One reports that more than 200,000 Ontario customers are without power.