Widespread power outages persist after severe thunderstorms and at least one tornado hit Quebec Thursday. Storm clouds move across the sky as Environment Canada issued tornado warnings Thursday, July 13, 2023, in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
MONTREAL – There are power outages across Quebec this morning after severe thunderstorms – and at least one tornado – hit the province Thursday.
Hydro-Québec says almost 170,000 customers are without electricity, down from a peak of about 300,000.
Most outages are in Montreal and the regions to its south and north.
The hydro utility says it could take up to two days to restore service to all customers because of the scale of the damage to the network caused by the storm.
Environment Canada says up to 100 millimetres of rain fell on the Montreal area Thursday, with wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour.
The federal weather agency has confirmed that at least one tornado touched down in Quebec, in a field in the city of Mirabel, north of Montreal, with no reports of damage.
A tornado Thursday that hit the Ottawa neighbourhood of Barrhaven damaged more than 100 homes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2023.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
