Tornado hits Sask. reserve

As many as 13 homes were destroyed and several others were damaged when a tornado struck a small Saskatchewan community, 120 kilometres north of Regina, on Friday evening.

There were no immediate reports of injuries on the Kawacatoose First Nation after the tornado touched down.

Errin Poorman saw the tornado and quickly snapped some photos with her cellphone before running to safety.

"Just as we were coming to the house there was another funnel cloud right over my grandmother's house and we went racing downstairs. It was really scary," she said.

Elliott Dustyhorn saw his home and others destroyed.

"I live in a duplex," he said. "Ours is gone and the duplex next to mine and about 10 to 13 [others] at least."

Environment Canada had issued numerous tornado watches and warnings all over the province, starting late in the afternoon, covering an area stretching from Moose Jaw north to Prince Albert and east to the Manitoba border.

There were thunderstorms all over the province and tornadoes were also spotted northwest of Moose Jaw and in other communities, Environment Canada said.

There are no reports of damage or injuries in those areas. The twisters struck aspeople in other parts of the province continued to dealwith severe weather, including flooding and hail.

Kawacatoose resident Amanda Bunn said her home is intact, but houses on the street next to hers were flattened.

"It was a matter of five minutes and it was gone," she said. "We came out and everybody's houses were wrecked and the roofs were gone, the windows and everything."

She said four of her neighbours' homes were destroyed, their windows and roofs gone and the contents scattered everywhere.

"Right now, there's cops and ambulances and fire trucks there," Bunn said. "They're trying to find places for the families to stay."

Power was out on the reserve and bandofficials have set up a central gathering place where affected residents can go for help or get something to eat.