One Dead As Fierce Winds Blow Through Area
26/10/2008 06:01
EDMONTON - The wind
that rocketed through central Alberta at speeds
of over 100 kilometres per hour killed at least
one man and forced the evacuation of hundreds
of
people.The day-long storm knocked out power for at least 4,000 city residents while winds breathed new life into rural grass fires, threatening lakeside communities. Snow also fell on some parts of Edmonton.
By noon, the wind had killed a 60-year-old man near Sandy Beach when it snapped a large tree at its base.
As the man travelled east along Highway 642 in a sedan with his wife, the tree trunk crushed the passenger side of the car's hood, killing him at the scene.
"To have the winds blow a tree over at the same time as you're driving by, it's a freak accident," said Const. Brendan Schikosky of the Morinville RCMP.
Details in the Edmonton Journal.
SINC SAYS:
The winds played havoc with many local residents as well as the pictures below attest. A tree fell on a car in Grandin and residents fences took a beating in the high winds. The winds were so fierce they blew the vent cover off the roof of our motor home. Those covers are designed to stay on at highway speeds, so the gust that took it had to be very high. Our thanks to Elke Blodgett of the city for the picture of the tree on the car. Fence picture by Sinclair.
