People in Waywayseecappo First Nation are picking up the pieces after a tornado tore through the community Monday evening leaving a trail of destruction in its path.

One home was completely destroyed, seven others were damaged.

Jessica Murdock and Elvis Razor’s home was ripped to pieces during the storm.

Murdock said she and her boyfriend weren’t home when the tornado touched down.

“We just left the house before the storm hit,” said Murdock. “We went to (Elvis’) mom’s when it happened.”

“We were just going to stay home and relax but we decided just to go visit her. Lucky we left when we did otherwise who knows if we would’ve made it out alive or not.”

Environment Canada confirmed a tornado touched down in the community at around 5:20 p.m. on Monday when a low pressure system moved in from Saskatchewan and triggered severe thunderstorms.

The same system produced a tornado between Binscarth and Russell and one near Elphinstone.

The storm also produced tennis ball sized hail near Elphinstone.

The weather agency sent a damage survey team to Waywayseecappo Tuesday to observe the damage.

Conrad Eley was busy Tuesday helping his neighbour Jason McKee clean up the damage in his yard. The damage included an overturned school bus, a camper which flipped over, several trees knocked down and damage to the roof of McKee’s home.

"For me I find tornadoes fascinating but it was pretty scary,” said Eley. “You think of how close it came - my house is right around the corner and you don't think it's actually going to hit you."

"We've been watching on the news for the last month or so, all these tornadoes, then when it hits your community it opens your eyes a little."

Community leaders said no one was hurt but between 60 and 70 people have been displaced. Fourteen people have moved into a hotel in nearby Russell while others are staying with family and friends.

"It was really, really hard on them,” said Waywayseecappo councillor Roger Mentuck. “You could tell that they are still scared. I had one little boy come up to me and grab my leg and you can tell he was scared."

The next step will be fixing the damaged homes - for now the roofs are covered with tarps to keep the rain out.