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A month has passed since six tornadoes hit the Ottawa-Gatineau region, but residents of the affected areas are still struggling to rebuild following the disaster.
Experts have projected damage costs arising from the tornado event to potentially reach millions of dollars – but things have been looking rougher for the affected communities in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
To date, the Red Cross of Ottawa has received $1.2 million in donations for relief efforts in the city, while $1.6 million has been similarly collected for Gatineau. The Quebec government has also contributed some $3 million to help disaster victims. Even Ontario pitched in with $1.5 million to help fund post-tornado cleanup efforts.
But even with immense outside support, Ottawa-Gatineau residents whose homes have been ravaged by high winds still await word from their insurers before they can start repairs.
Arthur Jian, an Ottawa resident, told CTV News that his home was nearly leveled within just “45 seconds.”
With the remains of his home considered unsafe and fenced off, Jian has prioritized securing a new place to stay for his family. However, like many residents displaced by the storms, he is unsure if the damage can be fixed, or if the remains of his home need to be demolished and rebuilt from the ground up.
“When everything dropped into the kitchen you saw nothing but dust, smoke, everything. Now it’s time for me to start thinking more about how we’re going to deal with the house,” he said.
Jian has been in close communication with his insurer on the matter, and is still waiting for a report from the contracting company.
He is not the only homeowner facing rebuilding issues.
In Dunrobin – where the tornadoes hit the hardest – some 30 homes were leveled. On top of those households, 20 other homeowners are also stuck waiting for their insurance providers to relay to them the next step, CTV News reported.
