Tornado hits First Nation homes

WAYWAYSEECAPPO FIRST NATION, Man. — Residents of Waywayseecappo First Nation were picking up the pieces on Tuesday after a tornado tore through the community, destroying one home and damaging seven others.

Community leaders said no one was hurt during Monday night’s storm, but between 60 and 70 people were displaced.

Fourteen people were moved into a hotel in nearby Russell with the help of Red Cross volunteers, while others were staying with family and friends.

Cailin Hodder, of the Red Cross, said it was incredible that nobody was injured.

Jessica Murdock and Elvis Razor weren’t home when their home was blown into kindling by the storm.

“We just left the house before the storm hit,” said Murdock, explaining they had gone to visit Razor’s mother. “We were just going to stay home and relax, but we decided just to go visit her. Lucky we left when we did otherwise who knows if we would’ve made it out alive or not.”

Environment Canada said the storm produced another tornado between Binscarth and Russell and a third near Elphinstone.

Hodder said this summer had been a very busy one for Red Cross volunteers, who have attended several severe weather events on the Prairies and spent weeks helping out after the Fort McMurray wildfire.