Gatineau residents slowly return home, 2 days after powerful twister

Residents in Gatineau, Que.,are slowly returningto their homes after a tornado brought a trail of destruction to the region this weekend.

Of the 212 buildings evacuated Friday night, 153 have been deemed safe, according to a Sunday evening update on the city's website.

Gatineau officials are warning people who were evacuated not to return home until the authorities have given them the all clear.

That neighbourhood was one of the hardest hit on the Quebecside of the Ottawa River.

After hearing about the storm, Brunel asked friends in the Outaouaisto check in on her father's apartment, butfirst responders wouldn't let them in, saying it was too dangerous.

'This is unacceptable'

"He was in his apartment confused and waiting for help" she told Radio-Canada in French.

Stphane Lachapelle, assistant director of operations with Gatineau's fire services, said the fire department believesher father returned to his unit after he was evacuated.

He said firefighters knock on every door and will break them down if they have to to make sure everyone gets out.

The city says about 237 people slept in the gym at the Cgep de l'Outaouais on Saturday night, and close to 800 people registered at the victims' centre.

The centre is being moved to the Centre communautaire Pre-Arthur-Guertin so students can return to the school.

At the height of the power outage, more than 200,000 hydro customers were in the dark. Hydro Ottawa and Hydro-Qubec reported the number had dropped to 70,000 in the Ottawa area and 5,600 in the Outaouais region by Sunday evening.