Environment Canada investigating possible tornado in Whitewater Region

WHITEWATER REGION, Ont. -

Environment Canada is investigating after a possible tornado may have touched down in the Ottawa Valley on Tuesday.

It’s not yet confirmed that the storm was a tornado, but it caused significant damage to trees in the Whitewater Region, tearing through a number of islands and whitewater rapids.

“The right side islands, the left side islands, portions of them are completely levelled,” said Joel Kowalski, owner of Wilderness Tours.

No one was injured. But Kowalski said the storm hit them right at their launch point.

 “Our raft fleet … had actually picked up in the air and flew to the other side of the river and was in the forest on the other side,” he said, adding that a number of groups had to come together Wednesday to clear the waterways and portage routes.

Environment Canada says the Ottawa Valley can become a ‘tornado alley’ of sorts, when storms moving in from the southwest combine with easterly winds coming off the Ottawa River.

“That combination helps create a bit of circulation in the storm,” said meteorologist Steve Flisfeder.

Added Kowalski: “I’ve definitely seen intense storms here. We’ve seen intense storms on the river, but this for sure for me was the most intense I’ve seen.”