Summer tornado in Elie, Man., was strongest in Canadian history

A tornado that hit Elie, Man., in thesummer has been rated the strongest documented twister in Canadian history.

Environment Canada analysts recently examined fresh video evidence of the June 22 storm thathelped confirmit as the only officially confirmed tornado in Canada to be rated F-5on the Fujita scale.

The video shows an almost-intact house in the small town just west of Winnipeg being thrown several hundred metres through the air before disintegrating and falling to the ground.

Seconds later, a large van is seen whirling through the air; it was later found in a distant field.

The twister was on the ground for more than 30 minutes, Environment Canada officials said. It travelled five kilometres and created a 300-metre swath of damage through the town of 550 people.

Wind speeds are estimated at 420 to 510 kilometres an hour.

No one was killed or seriouslyhurt in the Elietwister or in sixother tornadoes that touched down the same weekendin Manitoba. Nineteen people were left homeless.