Large tornado kills 2 after roaring through rural southern Manitoba
A large tornado spawned by intense thunderstorms in a rural southern Manitoba area has killed at least two people and injured one other. RCMP Manitoba confirmed the fatalities on Twitter and in a news release Saturday afternoon.
A man and a woman, both 18 and from Melita, were pronounced dead at the scene. Virden RCMP responded to the tornado report around 8:10 p.m. local time, in an area near Highway 83 and Road 50N in Pipestone, just south of Virden.
Upon arrival, police found extensive damage at a farm and a vehicle that was thrown near the highway. A 54-year-old man inside that vehicle, from Sioux Valley Dakota First Nation, was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.
Another vehicle, carrying the two people who died, was found more than a kilometre away from that site. The tornado also downed power lines and was on the ground for 10-15 minutes, according to witnesses. At one point, there were more than 500 Manitoba Hydro customers without power.
Late Friday night, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister tweeted: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the residents of Virden and the emergency responders dealing with the aftermath of the Tornado - please stay safe."
Environment Canada and investigators with Western University-based Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) have rated the tornado an EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF).
Shortly after the twister formed, visuals of it made its way onto social media, with multiple angles of the sizable tornado shot, including drone footage of the damage path. Below is a selection of photos and videos making the rounds online.
Tornado near Scarth, Man., Friday, Aug. 7. Photo: Sean Schofer and Prairie Storm Chasers.
Thumbnail courtesy of Sean Schofer and Prairie Storm Chasers.
With files from CBC News.
