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At least 5 dead, thousands without power after storm tears through Ontario, Quebec

4 people dead as the result of falling trees
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A Toronto Hydro line worker works to restore power to a house in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 27, 2013. A severe thunderstorm with high winds has created power outages across Ontario and led to at least four deaths. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

As many as five people are dead and tens of thousands remain without power following a fierce storm that swept across Ontario and Quebec.

Gatineau police said a 51-year-old woman died when the boat she was in capsized in the Ottawa River near Masson-Angers, Que. during Saturday’s storm.

Ontario Provincial Police said a 44-year-old man was killed in Greater Madawaska, west of Ottawa, after reportedly being struck by a falling tree, while police in Ottawa said one person died in the city’s west end, but didn’t release any further details.

Peel Regional Police said a woman in her 70s was killed by a falling tree while she was walking in Brampton, west of Toronto.

OPP reported one person was killed and two others were injured when a tree fell on a camping trailer near Pinehurst Lake in Waterloo Region.

The Township of Uxbridge, Ont. declared a local state of emergency after the storm caused significant damage in the community. A statement posted on the township’s website says there are widespread power outages and many closed roads due to downed trees and power lines. Residents are being asked to stay home to allow municipal workers to focus on removing road hazards rather than manage traffic congestion.

As of early Sunday morning, about 269-thousand Hydro One customers were without power, while Hydro Ottawa reported more than 550 outages affecting over 170-thousand customers.

Trees and power lines were knocked down across a swath of the province stretching from Sarnia to Ottawa by ferocious winds, which at one point reached 132 km/h at the Kitchener airport.

The Canadian Press

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