‘Unprecedented’: Severe Calgary hail storm caused $2.8 billion in damage last month
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/09/2024 (432 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
CALGARY – The Insurance Bureau of Canada says a severe hail storm that battered Calgary last month is the second-costliest event in Canadian history.
The bureau says the initial damage estimates come from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc., which collects information on losses from disasters.
It says the storm racked up nearly $2.8 billion in insured losses and is second only to the 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray.
The Aug. 5 storm brought significant hail, strong winds, heavy rain and localized flooding to parts of Calgary, affecting about one in five homes in the city.
Hail stones as big as golf balls pummelled the tarmac at Calgary International Airport, damaging planes at WestJet and Flair Airlines and forcing them to ground 10 per cent of their fleets for repairs and inspections.
Alberta has experienced five of the 10 costliest disasters in Canadian history, all of which have occurred since 2016.
“Catastrophic weather has hit our province hard this year and the impact on Calgary residents from this summer’s hail storm is unprecedented,” said Aaron Sutherland, vice-president, western and Pacific, with the insurance bureau.
Craig Stewart, the bureau’s vice-president for climate change and federal issues, said: “Insurers paid out more in claims for this one hail event than the federal government has invested on climate adaptation over the past decade.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.