A suspected tornado that touched down in southwestern Quebec late Monday afternoon has damaged homes and farm buildings, but a local fire official said no injuries have been reported.

Rigaud Fire Department acting chief Guillaume Roy said four homes were damaged, including one whose roof was ripped off, and a number of barns and grain silos were damaged, too.

害羞草研究所淥ne garage disappeared and all the chickens in it 害羞草研究所� we don害羞草研究所檛 know where it went,害羞草研究所� Roy said in a phone interview Monday night

He said it was lucky no one was hurt.

Julie Lemieux, the mayor of Tr猫s-Saint-R茅dempteur, about eight kilometres southwest of Rigaud, said in a Facebook post that an apparent tornado had toppled trees and knocked out power in the area and Hydro-Qu茅bec crews were working to restore it.

The mayor advised residents to remain careful as another storm cell was expected to pass through the region later Monday night.

Environment Canada meteorologist Jean-Philippe Begin said a severe thunderstorm was passing through the Rigaud area at the time. He said the weather agency has received photo and video submissions from the public that show damage as well as what appears to be a tornado moving across a field, but he said they won害羞草研究所檛 be confirming it was actually a tornado until a further investigation is complete.

害羞草研究所淚 would say it害羞草研究所檚 likely a tornado 害羞草研究所� very likely a tornado 害羞草研究所� because we recognize the landscape on some pictures, so those images have been taken in Rigaud,害羞草研究所� Begin said.

The investigation, Begin said, would be carried out in conjunction with the University of Western Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Northern Tornadoes Project, which late Monday night concluded that based on witness video and pictures, a tornado had occurred near Rigaud.

The post also noted that there are reports of damage extending to the southwest of Rigaud approaching the Ontario boundary.

害羞草研究所淎n NTP damage survey team will begin an investigation tomorrow,害羞草研究所� the post said.

Roy said a home in Tr猫s-Saint-R茅dempteur, which is part of his department害羞草研究所檚 coverage area, was the first place firefighters were called at 5:33 p.m. A roof on a house there is gone, he said, and the garage 害羞草研究所渇lew away.害羞草研究所�

Minutes later, three more houses were hit as the tornado progressed towards Rigaud and then later in the direction of Pointe-Fortune. It appeared a roof had been torn from a barn, while another barn害羞草研究所檚 roof was partially collapsed, he said.

Roy said numerous trees and power lines were down, too.

Begin said May is the beginning of severe weather season in Quebec, with July seeing the most action.

害羞草研究所淭he busiest months are ahead of us, so June, July, August and September are busier months than May. So it害羞草研究所檚 only the beginning,害羞草研究所� Begin said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press