The Canadian Red Cross is being sent to Waywayseecappo First Nation after a tornado touched down Monday night.
Environment Canada confirmed a tornado touched down in the area around 5:20 p.m.
It's one of three tornadoes confirmed by Environment Canada Monday night. The weather service said two others touched down within an hour of that report.
The first tornado developed in Binscarth around 4:45 p.m. A third tornado was seen in Elphinstone around 5:40 p.m. Environment Canada received reports of damage in Erickson, but a tornado hasn’t been confirmed there.
Environment Canada said the tornado in Waywayseecappo lasted for at least five minutes.
“It looks as though one building was destroyed. It tipped over a school bus too,” said Dan Fulton from Environment Canada.
These tornadoes have not yet been rated.
Environment Canada staff have been dispatched to Waywayseecappo First Nation to assess the tornado’s strength.
Chief Murray Clearsky of Waywayseecappo said everyone in the community is okay, but seven homes were damaged. One house was completely destroyed.
Murray said the tornado left more than 2 kilometres of damage in its wake and prompted the First Nation to call on the federal government to send Red Cross volunteers for help.
Volunteers will provide food and lodging in Russell for people forced from their homes.
A Canadian Red Cross spokesperson said no more than 50 people were displaced, and the majority of those stayed with family and friends. Fourteen people stayed in Russell overnight. The First Nation brought in tarps to cover damaged roofs.
"We're doing the best we can from the community here," Clearsky said.
Environment Canada and Climate Change Canada issued a number of tornado warnings across southern Manitoba late Monday afternoon and evening.
Kirk Torneby, a meteorologist with ECCC, said a strong cold front swept across southern Saskatchewan and into southern Manitoba Monday.
“With it, a number of strong storms have developed,” he said.
Torneby said tornado warnings were issued based on the data from Doppler radar.
Environment Canada said the tornado risk was cancelled for Manitoba before 10 p.m. Thunderstorms, strong wind, and hail were still expected in the southeast.
Tennisball size hail fell in Elphinstone and golfball size hail fell near Russell.
Environment Canada said severe weather in southern Manitoba isn’t over yet. The agency is forecasting conditions that could lead to severe thunderstorms, which include large hail, torrential downpours, strong straight line winds, and a tornado.
The severe weather could take place as early as Wednesday.
“In Manitoba we’ve seen already a year’s worth of tornadoes and hail storms and strong winds and funnel clouds, it’s like a lexicon of weather misery in the summertime. It’s really been a rocking rolling kind of summer in Manitoba,” said Dave Phillips senior climatologist with Environment Canada. “It’s just day after day, week after week, from really late June through July and now August, it’s just been too much weather."
The Red Cross said, this year, they have supported 640 people who were evacuated due to tornadoes.
"That number could go up to 670 before the end of the Waywayseecappo response," said Jason Small, with the Canadian Red Cross.
Small said, last year, the Red Cross did not support anyone who was displaced by tornadoes.
For most updated information on severe weather, visit Environment Canada's website.
