Today's gusty northwesterly winds have damaged the giant Van Gogh painting in Altona.
According to information provided by the Town, a panel, measuring 8 feet by 8 feet, was ripped off this morning. The panel has since been recovered and officials are monitoring closely for any further damage.
Data collected by Environment and Climate Change Canada show winds peaked in the Altona/Gretna region between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Manitoba Agriculture's weather station just outside of Altona registered an 85 km/h northwesterly gust, and Environment Canada registered peak gusts of 88 km/h in Gretna early Friday morning.
The Town of Altona is asking the community to stay away from the area surrounding the giant painting for the time being, just in case the wind isn’t done removing panels yet.