Be on alert for tornadoes

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Between 80 and 100 tornadoes are seen each year in Canada. In fact, Canada rates second in the world for tornado occurrence, after the United States, Russia is in third place.

Although more tornadoes occur in southwestern Ontario and the southern Canadian Prairies than in other parts of Canada, they can occur anywhere from the foothills of Alberta to the Maritime provinces.

Emergency Preparedness Canada and the Canadian Red Cross Society offer the following advice to make sure you know what to do in case of a tornado:

- If a storm threatens, listen to your local radio or TV station for severe weather warnings and advice. Also keep a battery-operated radio handy in case there is a power failure.

- Choose a shelter area in advance. The best place to be during a tornado is in your basement under a workbench or table; either will protect you from debris hurled into the basement. If you don't have a basement, then seek shelter in a small interior room such as a bathroom or closet. Stay away from windows and outside walls.

- If you live in a high-rise structure, you should take shelter in an interior hallway or room, preferably on the lower floors or in the basement. (The same rule applies to schools.) Remember - stay away from windows! And don't use the elevators as power can be cut off during a tornado.

- If you live in a mobile home, seek shelter elsewhere, preferably below ground. If no shelter is available then crouch down in a ditch, depression or culvert and protect your head with your hands.

- Avoid seeking shelter in buildings with wide free-span roofs such as gymnasiums, churches and auditoriums. Such structures are far more likely to collapse if hit by a tornado. If you are in one of these buildings and have no time to get out, try to seek shelter under a table or some other kind of sturdy cover.

- If you are driving and spot a tornado, you should get out of the car and seek shelter in a ditch, depression or culvert. Make sure you're a good distance from the car so it can't roll on you. Never try to drive to safety; as you can't outrun a tornado - they're much too fast and they rarely move in a straight line. They weave back and forth and change direction suddenly.

- If you are in a boat, you should seek safe harbor at the first sign of approaching thunderstorms.

- If time permits, store garden furniture and garbage cans in your basement. All of these can become deadly missiles when driven by a tornado's winds.

In Canada, tornadoes usually occur in the late afternoon or early evening and are most common between the beginning of June and the end of August.