The remnants of tropical storm Debby that swept through southern Quebec last month was the “costliest severe weather event” in the province’s history, according to new insurance findings.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says the torrential rain, which struck parts of Quebec on Aug. 9 and 10, has so far resulted in nearly $2.5 billion in insured damage. The whopping cost remains an initial estimate and could change, according to the bureau.
The financial fallout from Debby has already surpassed that of the 1998 ice storm in Quebec, at least in relative terms. In an email Monday, the IBC said the insured costs of the 1998 event came to $1.4 billion, which would cost about $2.4 billion today.
“The record-breaking downpour caused by the remnants of Hurricane Debby has led to a surge in insurance claims related to flooded homes, businesses and vehicles,” said Johanne Lamanque, the bureau’s Quebec vice president, in a statement last Friday.
Debby’s tail end brought up to 173 millimetres of rain to parts of the province in a 24-hour period, causing widespread flooding, power outages and washed-out roads. Montreal, which was particularly hard hit, was among more than 50 municipalities affected by heavy flooding.
Earlier this month, the bureau said the remnant of the tropical storm was among four disasters over the span of four weeks that led to a record number of insurance claims across Canada this summer.
It estimated a total of 228,000 claims were made this summer, a 406 per cent increase compared with the previous 20-year average. Of those, about 70,000 claims were related to the Montreal floods.
While Debby’s damage unfolded in mere hours, the IBC warns the claims process “will take time” for victims. Aside from the high number of claims, the bureau says insurers are facing labour shortages and “continued strains” in the country’s supply chain.
— with files from The Canadian Press
