'It just started plucking those trees and spitting them out,' Lucan farmer recounts tornado

Environment Canada has confirmed a tornado touched down just north of Lucan on Wednesday evening. 

Engineers from Western University conducted a damage survey and concluded that the tornado had peak winds of 130 km/h. 

The length of the damage path was 5 km, and a maximum width of 170 metres. 

All Ron DeBrouwer had to do was look around his property for confirmation that a tornado had touched down on his farm just outside of Lucan. 

He said the evidence is clear - the large cedar trees that were plucked from the ground and thrown aside in a field. The ripped-off roof. The tree torn in half. 

"It just started plucking those trees and spitting them out," said DeBrouwer, who was in his Lucan home when a funnel cloud formed. 

"In town, everything was as calm as can be, but out here, they could hear a noise like a great big fan going," said DeBrouwer.

His mom was on the farm and said the sky went dark at about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday. She grabbed her dog and by the time she got to the basement, the storm had cleared. 

"It was very quick. Basically, no one was hurt and it was a big mess, that's all," DeBouwer said.  

Environment Canada said it also had reports of the same storm cell spawning a possible tornado in the Drumbo area, northeast of Woodstock. 

However, there's no evidence that a tornado occurred, investigators said. 

The weather agency issued a severe thunderstorm watch Wednesday for much of southwestern Ontario, including London and Middlesex County.

Shortly after, photos and videos started populating social media, and the agency itself.

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At the Lucan Biddulph township office, signs and large garbage bins were knocked over. A neighbourhing camping trailer business had several knocked-over vehicles. 

Gary Haskett stood in his barn with his brother and nephew watching the rain come in, then the funnel clouds. 

"It formed and then the trees started to go," Haskett said. "It came coming up and then down. The only time I've seen anything like this is on TV." 

The winds didn't damage Haskett's property. 

Only two confirmed tornadoes in Ontario this year

Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson said there have been several reports of tornadoes in the province this year, but no more than usual. 

"We've certainly seen over the course of the spring and the first part of the summer, some reports of funnel clouds in various areas, but in terms of actual tornadoes we've been able to confirm, that number still stands at two at this point," Coulson said. 

"The first event just outside of London on April 11th this year, and then another tornado that occurred in Northwestern Ontario on July 6th to the west of Thunder Bay."

Have any photos or videos of damages? E-mail us at [email protected].