Please summarize the following article and rewrite it in Tamil in a journalistic style suitable for a Tamil news audience.
Also:
Make sure the summary is only 60–90 seconds long
Include only essential information
Write place names and people names in Tamil, with the English version in brackets
Follow this format consistently
Additionally, provide:
1️⃣ A suitable slug for a WordPress post (in English)
2️⃣ A meta description (max 160 characters) in Tamil
3️⃣ Relevant tags in English (for WordPress)
4️⃣ Relevant hashtags in English
5️⃣ A suitable SEO-friendly image file name (in English) related to the news article
6️⃣ A concise and SEO-friendly alt text for the image (in Tamil or English)
A state of emergency has been declared in both Bonfield and Calvin after a violent storm tore through northern Ontario late Saturday night, leaving flooded roads, downed trees, and trapped residents in its wake.
The Municipality of Calvin issued a shelter-in-place order, warning that all municipal roads are closed due to flooding and debris.
Highway 17 was shut between Bonfield and Mattawa, with access to Samuel de Champlain Park blocked, until 8 p.m. on Sunday.
“Flooding and downed trees have forced all municipal roads to close. Highway 17 at Junction 630 to Mattawa is closed. No access to Samuel de Champlain Park,” Calvin Township stated in a social media post early Sunday.
Canadian Ecology Centre hit hard
Bill Steer, the founder and general manager of the Canadian Ecology Centre in Samuel de Champlain Park, described the storm and its aftermath.
“It was around 9 p.m. (Saturday) that the wind started to pick up, and there was a lull. Then, afterwards, I called my daughter at about 9:13. The winds picked up. Things started crashing down on the cabin,” Steer told CTV News.
He recounted taking cover as a tree crashed through his roof.
“I got up, went over to the strongest part of the cabin, got on all fours, and then a tree came in through the roof in the corner,” he said.
“It was all over in about 30 seconds.”
Despite the destruction, Steer confirmed that all staff and visitors at the ecology centre were accounted for.
“All is well enough at the Canadian Ecology Centre after last night’s extreme weather event,” he posted on social media.
“Devastation … trapped here by trees. Again , … everyone is accounted for, the generators are on.”
Officials advised that following the evacuation, the centre may be forced to close for some time for repairs and clean up.
Emergency response
The Ontario Provincial Police have urged residents to avoid non-essential travel as crews work to clear debris and assess damage.
“Emergency responders are working as quickly and safely as possible,” the OPP stated in a news release Sunday morning.
An evacuation centre has been set up at the Mike Rodden Arena in Mattawa.
“Coats, blankets, water and batteries were made available to individuals affected by the closure at Champlain Park,” said OPP officials.
“Those needing shelter, not able to get home, shelter and food available there,” Calvin Township confirmed.
Calvin’s Deputy Mayor Bill Moreton declared the emergency early Sunday, citing “heavy damage and injuries” at Champlain Park.
“Many roads are washed out, and culverts are eroding, making any travel unsafe,” he said.
“If you are currently delayed due to road closures or sheltering in place, please remain patient and stay where you are if it is safe to do so,” advised authorities.
Cell and landline service is non-existent in some areas in the region.
“OPP wants to remind those trying to reach loved ones by cell phone, that the lines continue to be affected,” said police.
“Red Cross is on scene at the arena, to receive the evacuees,” said Calvin Township in an update just before 11 a.m. on Sunday.
As of shortly after 3 p.m., OPP confirmed they had completed the the evacuation of Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park.
“No new injuries being reported today,” authorities wrote on social media at the time.
Emergency responders are now in Kiosk Provincial Park and are conducting search efforts.
“OPP is asking anyone who may have evacuated on their own, to contact the North Bay OPP Detachment at 705-495-3878 to confirm your well-being,” said police.
Bonfield also hit hard
In nearby Bonfield, roads were left impassable after the storm.
“Pine Lake Road has been temporarily repaired for one lane of traffic. McNutt Road is closed, and Talon Lake Road is one lane,” the township posted at 6:25 a.m. Sunday.
“Line 3 is water-covered and one lane near tracks.”
Volunteers worked through the night to clear fallen trees.
“We made it up to Kearney Lake but couldn’t clear it completely,” one resident’s social media post read.
“The access road is now drivable but in bad shape.”
The same post speculated, “100 per cent must have been a tornado,” but the presence of one has not been confirmed by officials.
Olivia-Daisy Collins posted photos that her boyfriend, Scott Ferron, took of Highway 630, showing the roadway almost destroyed by the storm near the area’s power station.
Campers come together to get to safety
Cori Lynn Barron and her fiancé, Michael Holden, were camping at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park when severe winds toppled trees around them, trapping their vehicle and forcing a daring escape.
“We were in our little pop-up trailer, and we started hearing some branches come down,” said Barron.
After relocating to their truck, a tree fell in front and behind them, leaving them stranded as winds “took down like every tree and literally everything in sight.”
The couple then heard cries for help.
“Two people, like a couple, came running for our car … jumping over trees to get in,” the couple said.
The pair, their barefoot campsite neighbours, had fled their tent.
Barron and Holden self-evacuated, later meeting emergency responders.
“We hiked ourselves out to where we could see the EMS rescue,” they added.
Additional resources deployed
The OPP has called in its emergency response teams, SAVE team, canine units, aviation unit and military support from Petawawa to assist with recovery efforts.
In a related incident, two campers in Algonquin Park were injured when a tree fell on their site. One was airlifted to hospital by a Ministry of Natural Resources float plane.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources has also been contacted for support,” OPP said Sunday morning.
North Bay City Councillor Tanya Vrebosch confirmed that North Bay Fire Services deployed personnel overnight to assist.
“After seeing pictures of some of the damage caused, I reached out this morning to see if we would be sending out any of our public works staff as well,” she said on social media.
“To our neighbours in the Mattawa area, please reach out if you need anything.”
North Bay had brought in resources to backfill within the city.
East Ferris and West Nipissing’s fire services joined rescue efforts on Sunday morning.
Mattawa fire officials advise that about 100 fire fighters are now actively assisting with evacuation efforts in the area.