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Chatsworth residents dealing with the devastating aftermath of a tornado

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BARRIE, ONT -

Residents in Chatsworth are dealing with the aftermath of a tornado that tore through the town on Saturday evening.

Environment Canada confirmed that a tornado touched down after issuing a warning after 5 p.m.

Chatsworth resident Roxie Zehr says she and her five children were watching a movie in the living room when the weather shifted.

"We saw patio furniture fly off the deck and then we just ran into the basement," she says.

Several homes have been damaged, and the town is littered with downed trees and power lines. The Zehr family also lost their 100-year-old barn, which was destroyed.

"I'm finding parts of our house three-quarters of a kilometre back in the field and just everywhere else," says Brandon Zehr.

Several other surrounding locations were also hit, including Walters Falls.

Meg Hallman, who works at The Falls Inn, says she received texts from friends warning her of the tornado.

"Our transformers are on the ground, our poles are down over here, and there's lots of tree damage," Hellman says.

Members of the community have stepped up to help their neighbours.

Scott Mackey, mayor of the Township of Chatsworth, says there's plenty of clean-up that still has to be done. He says several roads are still impassable due to downed hydro lines.

"It's devastating when you see timber from a large old century barn that are strewn over 100 acres," Mackey says.

While the tornado caused extensive damage, no injuries were reported.

The mayor says the clean-up in the community will likely take the better part of a week.

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