Scott Thostenson was stunned when he arrived at the family cabin at Hanmore Lake on Wednesday.

His sister’s friend alerted them when he was notified power was knocked out in the area.

Environment Canada confirmed a tornado touched down northeast of the village of Waskatenau at about 1:50 p.m. The weather agency — which has given the tornado a preliminary rating of EF0  — didn’t report what kind of damage, if any, the storm had caused.

“I arrived to Hanmore Lake to our cottage,” he told Global News on Thursday morning. “I saw all the trees laying down. The cabin, the siding and roof was taken off.

“My sister Laura’s fifth wheel was thrown into the cabin so it took the bathroom side of the cabin off,” Thostenson said.

“I continued on walking down to the water and I realized that my boat and my uncle’s boat were flipped upside down in the lake. As we speak, they’re still there.”

He said sections of the dock were pulled up. The cabin’s windows, shingles and vinyl siding were either torn off or damaged.

“I was shocked,” Thostenson said. “I didn’t think it would be that bad.”

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Damage at Hanmore Lake, Alta. following a storm Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Thostenson walked around to check other cabins and said no one was home. He said his family cabin appears to have been the hardest hit.

The cabin is insured and the family is waiting to hear back on damage assessments.

This twister is the 18th confirmed tornado to touch down in Alberta so far this year.

Colin Mazurenko saw what appeared to be a funnel cloud touching down near Waskatenau at about 2:30 p.m.

“I was just driving up [Highway] 831, going north towards Boyle, and saw the funnel cloud in the distance,” he told Global News.

“[It’s the] first one I’ve ever seen that close,” Mazurenko, who works in agricultural sales, said. “I drive quite a bit [and it’s] the first one I’ve seen driving that close.”

The twister had an estimated wind speed of 90 km/hr to 130 km/hr, Environment Canada said.

Waskatenau is located about 100 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. Hanmore Lake is just northeast of Waskatenau.

Colin Mazurenko, who works in agricultural sales, said he saw what appeared to be a funnel cloud touching down near Waskatenau at about 2:30 p.m.

Colin Mazurenko, who works in agricultural sales, said he saw what appeared to be a funnel cloud touching down near Waskatenau at about 2:30 p.m.

Colin Mazurenko, who works in agricultural sales, said he saw what appeared to be a funnel cloud touching down near Waskatenau at about 2:30 p.m.

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