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A tornado destroyed one Manitoba family's farm earlier this week. Chris Scott and Mark Robinson were there to survey the damage.

After violent tornado, Manitoba family tells survival story


Chris Scott
Chief Meteorologist

Friday, July 31, 2015, 8:23 AM - Monday’s tornado in southwest Manitoba was a monster – no question. 

Storm chaser pictures and video have shown everyone the incredible power of this storm.

It’s extremely fortunate that this tornado hit in a sparsely populated rural area. While initial reports suggested the tornado may have been on the ground for up to three hours, Storm Hunter Mark Robinson and I surveyed the area and did not find a continuous damage path. 

Surprisingly, significant damage was relatively isolated. However, one family was very hard hit by this storm. The large tornado destroyed their farm. 

Mark and I were allowed to take an up close look at the damage the morning after the tornado. 

Two driving sheds levelled by the tornado with debris piled on top of a tractor.

This family was prepared. They had been watching The Weather Network and were aware of the threat for dangerous weather the day before, and were monitoring conditions closely as storms began to develop. 

They saw the fingers of the large tornado developing in the field to their southwest and headed to the basement. What followed was the frightening experience unique to living through a tornado.

They described hearing the loud whistling of the wind, their ears popping, and even a feeling of clothing being tugged at by the tornado’s extremely low pressure.

Grain bin turned over by the tornado. Stormhunter Mark Robinson at right.

Driving sheds destroyed. Car heavily damaged.

When they emerged just a few minutes later, they saw their house was largely intact aside from some roof damage. But their yard and farm buildings were a different story. The tornado destroyed two farm driving sheds, toppled grain bins and turned transport trucks on their side. 

A piece of equipment called a creep feeder which is used to feed livestock went missing – it was found two days later, in a field one kilometre away. And as is common with the incredible variations of wind speed within a tornado, a helmet delicately balanced on the handle bars of a bike beside one of the destroyed sheds was untouched.

By the time we spoke with the family less than 24 hours after the tornado, a new roof was already on the house. A crew of neighbours, friends and family were cleaning up the dozens of trees that were snapped, and were starting the clean-up of debris that was strewn all over the property.

By the time we spoke with the family less than 24 hours after the tornado, a new roof was already on the house. A crew of neighbours, friends and family were cleaning up the dozens of trees that were snapped, and were starting the clean-up of debris that was strewn all over the property.

A piece of twisted metal from the door of the driving shed.

Debris from the driving sheds strewn across the field. Note the curved pattern to the grass which indicates the swirling motion of the tornado’s winds.

And it wasn’t this family’s first experience with damaging weather. Just over a year ago, other family members suffered major damage from the late June floods that washed over much of southwest Manitoba and southeast Saskatchewan.  

But despite all this hardship, it was clear to Mark and I that this was a strong family, in a strong community, and they would quickly rebuild.  It is a privilege to be able to share their story.


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