PHOTOS: A violent storm blows through the Peterborough area, leaving a trail of destruction in its path
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Residents of Peterborough have been urged to stay home if possible late Saturday (May 21) afternoon as emergency crews continue to respond to a high volume of calls after a severe storm swept through the area, causing widespread power outages and property damage.
“Please stay home and keep the roads clear so that emergency services can get to those who need help. Staying off the roads also allows our Public Works teams to progress in clearing the streets,” said Mayor Diane Therrien.
According to initial estimates, hundreds of trees were downed by the storm. City staff were prioritizing large trees blocking roads Saturday night.
According to an online alert around 5 p.m. from Hydro One, there were numerous outages in the region – and across southwestern and central Ontario – affecting thousands of customers, knocking out traffic lights and closing businesses across the city.
Severe weather hit during the annual Hiawatha powwow on Saturday afternoon, sending hundreds of attendees and vendors fleeing for shelter. Several trees fell on houses and blocked the two main roads, causing long lines of traffic as visitors tried to leave the community.
“Thank you for your patience as we work to recover from this storm that devastated much of southern Ontario,” said Therrien.
“Please stay safe. Stay away from downed trees and power lines and be careful when walking near trees that may have damaged tree branches.
Environment Canada had earlier issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the region, calling the situation “potentially deadly,” particularly in Kawartha Lakes and other parts of central Ontario.
Report an outage to Hydro One by texting 92887 (WATTS), online at https://hydroone.ifactornotifi.com/ui/m/outage-reporting or by calling 1-800-434-1235.
Residents are warned to avoid downed power lines by keeping a distance of at least 10 meters even if they do not appear to be live. Report fallen wires to the police or by calling Hydro One at 1-800-434-1235.
For more outage information, download Hydro One’s free Outage app or visit hydroone.com/outages.
To report a downed tree on public streets and boulevards, visit Peterborough.ca/reportanissue or call 705-745-1386.