Families still waiting to go home one year after Barrie, Ont. tornado

Friday marks one year since an EF-2 tornado tore through a south-end Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood with winds up to 210 kilometres an hour, causing over $100 million in insured losses.

Experts reported the storm's track was 12 kilometres long and 600 metres wide.

The powerful storm that hit Prince William Way lasted roughly 10 to 15 minutes and damaged 110 homes, 71 of which were deemed unsafe, displacing numerous residents.

"The rebuilding effort has gone really well," Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman said during an interview with CP24 on the one-year anniversary Friday.

However, he noted some residents are still unable to go home, with four houses uninhabitable.

"They are still fenced off and damaged," he said.

"It looked like a war zone. You couldn't fathom," recalled tornado victim Michele Barranco.

The Barranco family is still picking up the pieces on the first anniversary since the powerful winds stormed its neighbourhood.

"I wish no one has to go through this. You're talking nine months from going home. We came back in March, and they're still working in the place," she said.

Researchers from Western and York universities are looking to help as the community rebuilds, with a focus on strengthening houses going forward.

"The performance of the house also played a role, and a lot of the damage that occurred could have been stopped by using relatively simple and inexpensive technology like hurricane straps," said Gregg Copp, a Civil and Environmental Engineering professor with Western University.

Researchers say their studies will take years.

2021 WEATHER EVENT

The devastating event made Environment Canada's top 10 weather events for 2021.

"It was like a sneak attack," noted senior climatologist Dave Phillips.

The tornado injured eight people, four seriously.

At the time, Lehman said it was "incredible" that no one was killed.

"I'm convinced that people instinctively knew to find a place of safety," he added.

During his interview Friday, the mayor mentioned the deadly EF-4 that rocked the city in 1984, wiping out homes and taking the lives of eight people.

"I do think people in our city are more aware perhaps of severe weather," Lehman said. "I think one of the legacies is that people are probably a little more nervous when they see those severe thunderstorm warnings or those tornado watches."

• DETAILS: Stories from the July 15, 2021, Barrie tornado
• PHOTO GALLERY: Destruction from tornado in Barrie community
• WATCH VIDEO: Videos and reports from the 2021 tornado

With files from CTV's Kraig Krause