Downed trees. Slicked roads. Power lines and light standards so strewn with ice that a car was damaged when a 20-pound chunk fell from above.
Those were just a few sights that people saw in Mission on Tuesday as the Fraser Valley community struggled to thaw out following an ice storm that knocked out power to thousands.
WATCH: Ice storm leaves thousands without power in Fraser Valley
Some Fraser Valley residents lost power for as long as four days as the region received 40 to 50 millimetres of freezing rain over the course of 42 hours.
On the Mission Bridge Tuesday, a car travelling southbound had its windshield damaged after a 20-pound chunk of ice fell, rattling a father and a young passenger inside.
Over the previous days, rain proved too much for trees to bear as they fell over and became caught on power lines.
One arborist said people can perform preventative maintenance to help keep this from happening.
But that’s just one tip people are offering after the storm.
Indeed, a common message has emerged from residents and officials: “be prepared.”
“A lot of people are still caught unaware, they expect the city to take care of everything for them,” said Mission resident Brian Roberts, whose family was stocking up on salt on Tuesday.
Roberts dealt with the storm by pulling out the family’s camping gear, including lanterns, lights and a propane stove so they could keep making hot food.
But others in the Fraser Valley weren’t nearly as ready for the ice.
“What’s happened here in Abbotsford over the past few days, one wouldn’t expect that they can’t even get home,” said Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service chief Don Beer.
READ MORE: Fraser Valley homes still without power on New Year’s Day following ice storm
He recommended that people keep “go kits” in their cars, and to maintain communication with their families so that everyone knows each other is all right.
Anyone who doesn’t have a plan could be putting themselves — and their families — at risk.
“It’s kind of like insurance,” said Greg Moore, the chair of Metro Vancouver and mayor of Port Coquitlam.
“You buy it on a yearly basis hoping you never have to access it.”
BC Hydro crews had restored power to much of the region on Tuesday, but a number of customers still didn’t have their electricity back.
- With files from Amy Judd and Jon Azpiri
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