A powerful tornado struck the city of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, on the afternoon of May 21, 1953. It made at least 150 homes on the more suburban outskirts of the city were damaged and in some instances reduced to rubble. Financial losses in Canada totaled $15 million; five people were killed, 48 were injured, and 500 were left homeless.
Take a look at these incredible photos from John Rochon to see what Sarnia, Ontario looked like just after the tornado in 1953.
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| Christina St. looking south from Lochiel St. |
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| Clean-up work on the Vendome Hotel |
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| East side of Christina St. looking south to Cromwell St. |
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| East side of Front St. between Lochiel and Cromwell Sts. showing tornado damage to the Barr building and the Mackenzie-Milne building |
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| East side of Front St. just south of Bank of Commerce |
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| East side of Front St. looking south to Cromwell St. |
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| Euphemia St. looking north from Lochiel St. |
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| Houses after tornado |
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| Lochiel St. looking east from Christina St. |
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| Lochiel St. near Brock St. |
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| Looking east down George St. from Brock St. |
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| Looking north down Euphemia St. to George St. |
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| Looking north on College Avenue from George St. |
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| Looking west down George St. from Euphemia St. |
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| Looking west down Lochiel St. from Brock after Tornado |
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| Macklin's Greenhouses |
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| Macklin's Greenhouses |
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| Man walking on street after tornado |
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| Manley's after the Tornado of 1953 |
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| Manley's after the Tornado of 1953 |
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| Maria St. just west of Mitton St. |
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| Modern Dry Cleaning on Cromwell St. |
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| North side of Lochiel St. at Brock St. |
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| North side of Lochiel St. east of Brock |
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| Northeast corner of Christina and Cromwell Sts. |
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| Northwest corner of Brock and Lochiel Sts. |
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| Northwest corner of Christina and Cromwell Sts. |
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| People gathering together after tornado |
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| Purity Dairy building |
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| Rear of buildings on Front St. |
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| Rear of Front St. buildings |
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| Rear of Taylor's Furniture store |
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| Rear of the Colonial Hotel |
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| Rear of the Taylor's Furniture building at Christina and Cromwell Sts. |
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| Reitman's on Christina St. |
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| Remains of the Imperial Theatre |
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| Remains of the original Imperial Theatre |
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| Sarnia after Tornado |
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| Sarnia City Hall after tornado 1953 |
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| Southeast corner of Lochiel and Christina St., Sarnia, ON |
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| Stewart's Funeral Home, Sarnia, ON |
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| Street scenes of Sarnia after tornado |
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| Street scenes of Sarnia after tornado |
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| Tornado damage on Mitton St. |
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| West side of Front St. looking south |
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| Vehicle crush by debris in the Tornado |
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| Vendome Hotel after Tornado |
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| West side of Front St. looking south to Ferry Dock Hill |
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| West side of Front St. |
