Montreal·Video
Environment Canada issued a series of alerts Monday afternoon, warning Quebec residents of certain sectors that there was a risk of severe thunderstorms strong enough to produce hail, blustery wind, lightning and tornadoes.
Red Cross deploying teams to Mascouche, Que.
Isaac Olson · CBC News
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A man in his sixties is dead, after a tornado touched down in Mascouche, Que., late Monday afternoon.
The Canadian Red Cross is deploying teams tohelp 50 to 100people displaced by the damage caused by the high winds.
Municipal officials have confirmed that the man,a father of three, died in storm just after 6 p.m.Between 75 and 100 homes were damaged by the tornado, according to local fire officials.
The mayor of Mascouche, Guillaume Tremblay, offered his condolences to the family of the victim, though he was unable to give more details on the cause of death. Tremblaysaid two others were lightly injured.
"We have houses that were blownoff their foundations," he said.
"We have electric wires everywhere in the streets and a considerable amount offallen trees."
WATCH: Video captured by residents shows tornadoes on the move:
3 years ago Duration 1:13
Tornado leaves destruction in its wake northeast of Montreal, kills man
Environment Canada says that, based on videos captured by people in the area, there was at least one tornado, but it is not clear how strong it was or what path it took.
A spokesperson for theRed Cross said an information kiosk will beset up in a community centre at 2510 de MascoucheBoulevard, located about 40 kilometres northeast ofMontreal.
Anybody who is displaced by the tornado can expect care for the next 72 hours from the organization, including food and lodging, the spokesperson said.
The national weather agencyissued a series of alerts Monday afternoon, warning of possibly severe thunderstorms, strong winds, hail, lightning and even tornadoes throughout several regions.
The warnings covered areas ranging fromMontreal's South Shore to the Quebec City region.
Environment Canada says people should take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches.
"Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!" Environment Canada says on its website.
Storm leaves residents shaken
Videos captured in the area show wind funnels forming nearhomes and high-tension wires, kicking up debris. More than 50,000 customers lost power, according toHydro-Québec.
Harold Tidy was cleaning his swimming pool and "all of a sudden, all hell broke loose."
Having taught on the subject of hurricanes and tornadoes, Tidy said he knew exactly what it was when it hit. It lasted 15 to 20 seconds, he said, and was about 15 metresin diameter. He described it as a "mini tornado."
"It came right down my driveway," Tidy said. "I've never seen that in this region before. I've seen storms. We've been frozen out in the winter. But never a storm like this."
The wind ripped tops off trees, and downed others — trees he plantedsoon after moving inwith his wife more than six decades ago. He built thehouse in 1956 andwatched those trees mature over the years, including an apple tree that produced fresh fruit every year for the family.
He hopes the insurance company will help clean up the mess, but he knows he can't replace the trees. He said hecan plant new ones"but I won't live to see them as mature as you see them now, unfortunately."
Hugues Jobin was in a business when the tornado passed through. He told Radio-Canada that there was damage to buildingsand branches were knocked into houses.
"I was sure the store was going to fly away," he said, but the tornado passed at an angle and missed the building. "I threw myself on the ground,I was so scared, to be sure I was safe."
Jobin said the strong wind only seemed to last about 10 seconds before passing.
Simon Legault, a meteorologistwith Environment Canada, said the agency is still gathering information.
"Right now, we can confirm that there has been a tornado there, but we cannot give any details about the exact location of the damage that occurred there and the length of the track or anything like that," he said.
"So the speed of the wind, we don't know right now, but definitely from what we saw in those videos, debris flying around, that's a clear sign of tornado."
with files from Radio-Canada and CBC's Sharon Yonan Renold
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