When a major windstorm hit the south coast of B.C. on Dec. 20, it caused some serious damage. More than 3,000 homes were impacted, 750,000 BC Hydro customers were left without service, the pier in White Rock was destroyed and a State of Emergency was declared for Tseshaht First Nation.
Now the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has revealed that the storm caused more than $37 million in insured damage to homes, businesses and vehicles. According to the IBC, the storm on Dec. 20 brought the total insured damage from extreme weather in Canada to $1.9 billion for 2018.
BC Hydro said in a report that the storm was unlike any other they’ve seen. Winds topped 100 km/h in some areas with gusts coming from several directions, including the southeast, south and southwest. In addition, the strong winds were preceded by several spells of heavy rainfall, which destabilized trees.
The storm damaged a record amount of hydro infrastructure, including 86,000 metres of damaged power line, 390 damaged power poles and 3,200 pieces of electrical equipment.
Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands were the hardest hit, with power outages affecting more than 80 per cent of customers in those areas.
BC Hydro’s efforts to dig out of the storm were the largest in its history, with more than 900 field workers working to restore power.
-With files from Jon Azpiri
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