Tony and Joan Gerun leave their tornado damaged trailer (background right). Friday, July 14, 4 p.m. Storms develop along the Rocky Mountain foothills in central Alberta. After hundreds of rescue workers arrived, the scene was eerily calm. PINE LAKE, Alta. Preliminary estimates are that the tornado caused $12-million damage. Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. By the time ambulances reached the area about 40 kilometres southeast of Red Deer, nearly 45 minutes after the touchdown, eight people were dead. Aerial photo of the Pine Lake campground. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Camper trailers were marked with orange Xs after being completely searched and lifted, and a steady stream of work crews congregated as helicopters buzzed overhead. The centre of the storm hit Green Acres, which looked like a giant had scratched his hand through the site. 5:37 p.m. Storm on southern edge of cluster breaks off and begins to move east. It was terrible. The Calgary victims were: Merrill Booth, 63; Charles Boutin, 72; Lisa Gourley, 30; Thomas Ian Prior, 68; Margaret Provan, 66; and Kenneth Prudhomme, 50. The following are the names of nine people killed in the Alberta tornado. When insurance adjusters were done, the damage caused to the Pine Lake area was estimated at $3.4 million. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and Canadian Alliance Leader Stockwell Day all responded quickly to the disaster Saturday. Thank you for your patience. The site of the killer tornado at the Green Acres trailer park at Pine Lake. Tornado at Pine Lake, Alberta — July 14, 2000: Assessment of the emergency medicine response to a disaster - Volume 3 Issue 1 - Sunil Sookram, Herman Borkent, Greg Powell, Walter D. Hogarth, Lance Shepherd Officials would not identify the man, but he was believed to be one of three critically injured patients at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. . We apologize, but this video has failed to load. © 2021 Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. When the menacing clouds started rolling in early on the evening of July 14, 2000, some campers started to take action. - Twenty years after a tornado swept through a campground at a scenic tree-lined lake in central Alberta, killing a dozen people and turning trailers into kindling, Heather Thomson has a pocketful of miracles to reflect on. The storm intensifies rapidly as it heads east toward Red Deer-Pine Lake area. Both were killed as the twister exploded, he said. ", Harold English, 58, from Penhold, Alta., was in a large trailer with his wife and two little dogs when the tornado struck. There was nothing anyone could do. When the tornado hit, vacationers were removing awnings from their trailers so they would not blow away in what everyone thought would be a spell of thunder and lightning. The storm swept in a northwesterly direction after leaving here and struck a little Flemish settlement near Pike Lake, where a number of buildings were ... as well as, information about their life and death. Twenty search and rescue teams were deployed, the Calgary Fire Department supplied dive teams and six navy divers also assisted in recovery operations. . The storm started developing around 4 p.m. along the Rocky Mountain foothills in central Alberta. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. He and eight relatives, including his four children ages 3 to 9, desperately tried to hang on inside. Some have likened the campground ruins to "coleslaw," others call it "ground zero.". A two-year-old child later died on the way to hospital. The Pine Lake tornado was a deadly tornado in central Alberta which occurred on Friday, July 14, 2000 and struck a campground and a trailer park. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Throughout the weekend, the Red Cross took calls from anxious relatives and friends of campers from around the world. Lipsman was across the lake at the BB-Riback Youth Camp when he oversaw the devastating tornado hit Pine Lake 20 years ago. The massive storm, with swirling winds of more than 300 kilometres an hour, descended on the crowded site without warning as about 1,000 people were settling in for a relaxing weekend at the lake. Known as Black Friday, that event injured 600 and left 1,700 homeless. Since 2000, natural disasters, including floods, fires and storms, have caused an estimated $4.6 billion in damage in Alberta. We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate. "I have never been so scared in all my life," said Emily Smithers, who lives in the Green Acres campground with her two small children. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. "How many people were here? In addition, that analysis suggests that the tornado likely had a similar intensity to the Pine Lake Alberta F3 tornado of July 14, 2000. The Pine Lake Tornado dominated our news coverage for months. Merrill Booth, 63, of Calgary Charles Boutin, 72, of Calgary Doris Broberg, 63, of Strathmore, Alta. His mother was admitted to hospital with broken ribs. 7 p.m. Tornado forms, is later categorized as F3 on a 1-5 scale of severity. "This has been a powerfully emotional and traumatizing time for a whole lot of people," he said. Skip to main content Accessibility help We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Thursday marks the 16th anniversary of the deadly tornado that struck the Green Acres trailer park at Pine Lake, about 40 km southeast of Red Deer. One woman's remains were not discovered until the next morning when a crew lifted up a clump of mangled metal to uncover the traumatizing sight. In comparison, the Edmonton-area twister did an estimated $330 million in damage. Canada’s most lethal tornado killed 28 in Regina in 1912. That means: If you do not see your comment posted immediately, it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly, generally within an hour. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. The Story. "The ground shook, the cupboards rattled, and I knew we were in big trouble. News Director Lamya Asiff directed our team to not just focus on the number of fatalities, but to move forward and try to humanize the story that was unfolding to all those affected by this life changing storm. Twenty-three people were injured. The Alberta government has pledged to do whatever it can to help the victims, but has not announced any specific intentions. Innisfall, AB F0 Tornado; Rolling Hills, AB F1 Tornado; Figure 1. Pine Lake, WI is a Moderate Risk area for tornados. 2002). The device uses sound energy to produce high-resolution images, regardless of visibility. The next issue of Edmonton Journal Headline News will soon be in your inbox. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter . The campground, which has more than 400 sites and was almost full on Friday, is owned by Danny and Lexy Fisher and has been in Mr. Fisher's family for 52 years. The detailed climatology of Alberta tornados compiled by Hage (1990, 2003) showed that the Edmonton tornado She’s the grandmother of Ashley Thomson, who was just four months old when she was […] We really don't know," RCMP Constable Dan Doyle said. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. Rated as the second-most deadly tornado in Alberta’s history behind the Edmonton-area twister that killed 27 people July 31, 1987. Rescuers dig through the rubble looking for victims of the Pine Lake tornado. About 1,000 people were displaced by the tornado, which struck the popular vacation resort at 7 p.m. on July 14, 2000. On July 14, 2000 around 7pm MST, an F-3 tornado touched down at the Green Acres Campground at Pine Lake, Alberta. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. "remove":"add"](select.closed),dom.control.setAttribute("aria-expanded",o)}function onToggleClicked(){var l=!isPanelOpen();setPanelState(l)}function onWindowScroll(){window.requestAnimationFrame(function() {var l=isPanelOpen(),n=0===(document.body.scrollTop||document.documentElement.scrollTop);n||l||!allowExpand?n&&l&&(allowExpand=!0,setPanelState(!1)):(allowExpand=!1,setPanelState(!0))});}pencilInit(".js-sub-pencil",!1); // via darwin-bg var slideIndex = 0; carousel(); function carousel() { var i; var x = document.getElementsByClassName("subs_valueprop"); for (i = 0; i < x.length; i++) { x[i].style.display = "none"; } slideIndex++; if (slideIndex> x.length) { slideIndex = 1; } x[slideIndex - 1].style.display = "block"; setTimeout(carousel, 2500); } //, Due to technical reasons, we have temporarily removed commenting from our articles. The Pine Lake tornado touched down around 7 PM on Friday July 14, 2000, the first day of the Glacier – Waterton International Hamfest . People at a golf course nearby did not know what happened. Tears streamed down the faces of five people Saturday afternoon who identified the woman found earlier that morning. Elsewhere, toys were scattered over the ground. 12 people were killed and more than 100 people were injured. Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted. Injuries mounted quickly, with 140 people requiring various levels of medical attention. Another two remained in stable condition Sunday. Read more about cookies here. Mr. Day, who has once represented Red Deer North as an MLA, was at the campsite Saturday afternoon and said he was overwhelmed. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. A big tree took our awning off; another landed on top of our trailer.". An estimated 60 million tonnes of limestone buried part of the town. Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. Fellow camper Oliver Mahoney was helpless to aid a man and baby who were sucked from a car just as he rushed to shelter his own family. Pine Lake tornado: On the eve of 16th anniversary, a look back at the day 12 people were killed Back to video. The Edmonton tornado was classified as an F4 tornado on the Fujita F-scale (Fujita 1981). But bordering the twister, it was as though nothing more than a summer storm had zipped its way through. Pine Lake Tornado - Volume 4 Issue 2 - Lance Shepherd. Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. Jamie and Katrina Holtom’s lives changed on July 14, 2000 when their two-year-old son Lucas was killed in the Pine Lake tornado that claimed the lives of 12 people. You just do a lot of praying," said Mr. Mahoney, 32, who suffered a broken arm and a cut foot. "I told everybody to try to embrace the walls. We hope to have this fixed soon. One of the trailers that was still standing had its light on, glowing in the dark. PINE LAKE, Alta. 20 years ago, an F3 tornado ripped through the Green Acres Campground in Pine Lake, Alberta, killing 12, injuring more than 100 and destroying buildings, trailers, vehicles and trees Officials are using sonar and infrared technology to map out the lake's bottom. Twelve people were killed, making it the first deadly tornado in Canada since 1987, when an F4 tornado killed 27 people in Edmonton, Alberta and injured 300+. Some information in it may no longer be current. The Pine Lake Tornado which occurred on July 14, 2000, was one of the most devastating weather events in Canadian history. If you are looking to give feedback on our new site, please send it along to, To view this site properly, enable cookies in your browser. It seemed like a bad dream.". Keller Airport to Pine Lake MN, WI 15.5 1220 yds 2 deaths- A strong tornado moved through … UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here. They were screaming and yelling. Avoid the use of toxic and offensive language. While there are no reports of missing people, authorities fear there may be more bodies stuck in more than 60 vehicles that landed in the lake because no one knows exactly how many vacationers were at the large campground. Some customers have been visiting since the day it opened, a shaken Mr. Fisher said yesterday. "That's the dilemma.". This tornado destroyed part of Hudsonville, Standale, … April 3, 1956, 6:30 p.m.: 18, dead, 340 injured. It moves east in a straight line for 15 km, smashing into the campground, killing and injuring campers. This article was published more than 10 years ago. Read our, I'm a print subscriber, link to my account, Read more about following topics and authors. By Saturday, a full-scale search-and-recovery mission was under way. — Twenty years after a tornado swept through a campground at a scenic tree-lined lake in central Alberta, killing a dozen people and turning trailers into kindling, Heather Thomson has a pocketful of miracles to reflect on. The most devastating level on the scale is F-5, with wind speeds topping 500 km/h. Biwabik & Pine Lake, MN Tornado, Oct 1900. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. Photo by Brendan Miller/Postmedia. In all, more than 130 people were taken to hospital, with 18 of the most serious sent to trauma units across the province. Following the course of the F3 tornado which ripped through Green Acres campground at Pine Lake, Alta. It took rescue workers hours to find the bodies. The Pine Lake Tornado which occurred on July 14, 2000, was one of the most devastating weather events in Canadian history. Wind speeds were estimated to have peaked at about 300 km/h, but what made this event more deadly was that the tornado ranged between 800 metres and 1-1/2 km wide. It touches down five kilometres west of Green Acres campground. On average, 43 twisters touch down across the Prairies between June and August. *Tornado risk is calculated from the destruction path that has occured within 30 miles of the location. Instead, the heavy masses of metal and the people beside them were sucked into the twister. As the death toll rose to 10, divers continued to search the lake today for more victims of a tornado that flattened an Alberta campground. Introducing 5 FP Newsletters: Energy, Economy, Investor, Work and Finance, Financial Post: Introducing 5 Newsletters, Pine Lake tornado: On the eve of 16th anniversary, a look back at the day 12 people were killed. The Fisher's home, with its roof torn off by the storm, was turned into a makeshift morgue, where friends and family came to identify bodies. Sunday marks the 19th anniversary of the F3 storm that struck the Green Acre Campground in Pine Lake, killing 12, injuring 140 and causing an inflation-adjusted $18.2 million in damages. Monday, July 13, 2020. The wind came up and trees started breaking -- some eight inches thick. "This has been a terrible tragedy and our heartfelt concerns go to those who have lost loved ones, as well as the survivors," Mr. Klein said. After as many as 40 vehicles ended up in the lake, water quality was a major concern. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings. Please try again. Using the Fujita scale — a rank of a tornado’s intensity which provides an estimate of its wind speed based on the observed damage — the Pine Lake event was rated an F-3 event. Friday's tornado was categorized as an F3 on the Fujita and Pearson scale of tornado intensity: F0: Gale tornado, wind speed 64-116 kilometres an hour F1: Moderate tornado, 117-180 km/h F2: Significant tornado, 181-253 km/h F3: Severe tornado, 254-331 km/h F4: Devastating tornado, 332-418 km/h F5: Incredible tornado, 419-512 km/h F6: Inconceivable tornado, 513-610 km/h. We’ve already had a tumultuous start, with five of them recorded over the Canada Day weekend in central and southern Alberta, areas that have been hard hit in the past. As night falls on the Green Acres campground at Pine Lake, Alta., on July 14, 2000, so do 300 km/h winds. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. July is a nervous month for Albertans and for good reason. the Pine Lake storm of 14 July 2000 that resulted in 12 fatalities and 13 million dollars property damage (Joe and Dudley 2000; Erfani et al. "Hailstones started falling. Members of a rescue party are dwarfed by the destruction of Green Acres trailer park and campground in the aftermath of the tornado that killed 12 people and injured 140 on July 16, 2000. A backhoe lifts a camper frame out of Pine Lake. . On July 14, 2000, around 7 p.m., an F-3 tornado touched down killing 12 people and injuring more than 100 others. A cluster of clouds broke off around 5:30 p.m. and at 6:18 p.m., Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning. Sunday, July 14, 2013, 1:12 PM - Communities around Pine Lake, Alberta remember today 12 people that were killed after a deadly tornado plowed through the region 13 years ago today. As the death toll rose to 10, divers continued to search the lake today for more victims of a tornado that flattened an Alberta campground. Pine County Courthouse 635 Northridge Dr NW Pine City, MN 55063 Telephone: 320-591-1400 1-800-450-7463 Wind picked up Mr. Mahoney's trailer and flipped it like a matchbox toy. Tuesday marks 20 years since the Pine Lake tornado that killed 12 people. Rescue workers search the Green Acres Campground in Pine Lake on July 15, 2000, a day after the tornado swept through, killing a dozen people and injuring dozens mores. Database and records searchable by surname. Searching the lake Yesterday police were using a sonar device to look for objects in the lake which is 12m at its deepest. Conservation officers remove water samples from Pine Lake to be tested. Injuries/Deaths: None: Summary: This tornado, though nearly rain wrapped was viewed and recorded by at least two chase teams as it tracked for around 9 miles, ending about 7 miles east of Middle River by 7:32 PM CDT. It touched down five km west of Green Acres and smashed its way in a straight line for 15 km and through the campground. We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner. However, because the trees at Halfway Lake bore the brunt of the winds, trailers were not thrown or inflicted devastating and deadly structural damage, as was the case at Pine Lake. The RCMP have tentatively identified a 10th victim only as a 50-year-old man from Red Deer. The site of the killer tornado at the Green Acres trailer park at Pine Lake. Officials concede that the list of victims could rise even higher, with several people still in critical condition in intensive care. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. By now, it was a … The cleanup efforts included 100 soldiers who assisted in recovery operations. All weekend, people brought food for workers and victims, most of whom returned home or stayed at hotels. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. If it had come in the middle of the night, it would have been extremely … worse.”. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. The tornado spanned one kilometre at its widest point and touched down along 27 kilometres. "There's no time to think. © Copyright 2021 The Globe and Mail Inc. All rights reserved. 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