A tornado has touched down in the Laurentian town of Mont-Laurier. The violent storm has caused major damage to homes in the area.

The violent gales severely damaged the roofs of several homes and have pulled trees out by the roots after a tornado ripped through the small town at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

About 4000 local residents are without power, as service has been cut to the area as a precautionary measure, said Hydro Quebec.

Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm warning, and is predicting winds as strong as 90 km/h. A team is travelling to the region to find out more information on the storm, said Rene Heroux of Environment Canada.

An emergency meeting was scheduled Tuesday at Mont Laurier town hall to assess the situation.

No one has been injured.

More details to follow.