https://calgaryherald.com/news/0615-storm-folo
Residents start on repairs on a house on Saddlemead Rd NE in Calgary on Sunday, June 14, 2020. A severe storm ripped through Calgary shredding homes and cars.
Jim Wells/Postmedia
The hardest hit area of the city was the northeast, where people woke up to mounds of hail — which varied in size from a golf ball to a baseball — and flooding in residential streets.
Ward 5 Coun. George Chahal said no part of his district was spared, which sits in the northeast corner of Calgary stretching south to McKnight Boulevard and west to Deerfoot Trail.
“It’s a disaster,” said Chahal.
“We’ve seen significant damage to many homes throughout Ward 5. Every car that I can see that was parked on the street is a write off, significant hail damage to all the vehicles, a lot of overland flooding on streets and major intersections.”
The northeast councillor spent Sunday morning in the community helping people assess the damage and clean their lawns and homes of debris. City road and fire crews were also in the affected areas clearing drains and roads, some of which remained impassible on Sunday due to flooding.
No injuries have been reported.
Damage to a vehicle on Saddlemead Rd NE is shown in Calgary on Sunday, June 14, 2020. A severe storm ripped through Calgary shredding homes and cars.
Jim Wells/Postmedia
In Saddleridge, rows and rows of homes were mangled, including Melanie Brown’s, whose siding and yard are shredded and stairwell window broken.
“It’s really disappointing,” said Brown. “I’m pretty much done with 2020. My only concern is what the rest of the summer is going to bring. We’re only in June.”
She said the storm seemed “never ending” with rain, hail and wind battering their home.
“After the storm had stopped and we went outside, it was so foggy. You couldn’t see anything and there were sirens after sirens going constantly from police cars and fire trucks. It was really eerie,” said Brown.
Javier Martinez works to rip out the back window of his wife’s car in northeast Calgary on Sunday, June 14, 2020. A severe storm ripped through northeast Calgary shredding homes and cars and all items outside.
Jim Wells/Postmedia
“All of a sudden there was this hailstorm and golf ball-sized hail coming on the ground and hitting everything,” said Rahim. “When we got outside, it was horrifying for me. There was damage to the front of the houses, windows got broken, water came inside, our side wall got absolutely damaged.”
She, too, fears what’s in store for 2020, after so many other distressing events.
“It’s not done with us, not yet.”
Reports show Calgary was belted with hail as large as 54 millimetres (just over 2" CiC) and received about 59 mm of rainfall on Saturday, according to Environment Canada meteorologist Alysa Pederson.
“There was a lot of instability, or energy, in the atmosphere and that’s what led to big areas of thunderstorm activity, especially in southern Alberta as that moved north through the province,” said Pederson.
She said this type of weather is typically seen in July or August. Due to its early occurrence, a lower freezing temperature and high dew point led to the large thunderstorm and significant hail.
Environment Canada placed much of southern Alberta under a severe weather watch Saturday evening, and three regions of the province were placed under tornado watch.
A resident on Saddlemead Road N.E. looks through an upstairs window in northeast Calgary on Sunday, June 14, 2020. A severe storm ripped through Calgary shredding homes and cars.
Jim Wells/Postmedia
Akbar Ali was caught driving in the storm coming back into Calgary on southbound Deerfoot Trial.
“Apocalyptic — that’s the best way to word it,” he said. “When things slowed down, we started driving out and all we could hear were police sirens, fire trucks everywhere. It was like from a movie.”
He said traffic was diverted in many areas and numerous cars were fully submerged on the northbound side of the highway, with people standing on top of their vehicles waiting for emergency help.
Ali said he’s thankful that his house in the Marda Loop area didn’t suffer any damage.
Some weren’t so lucky.
A Taradale resident shows the damage to a house window in northeast Calgary on Sunday, June 14, 2020. A severe storm ripped through northeast Calgary shredding homes and cars and all items outside.
Jim Wells/Postmedia Jim
“It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever seen something like that. It was like an alien attack,” he said jokingly, after speaking about the hail, glass and debris bursting into the home. “I was shocked. I honestly still feel like it’s not real, like it’s a dream or something like that.”
Muhammad Atif looks at damage to his cousin’s house on Tarawood Grove N.E. in Calgary on Sunday, June 14, 2020. The house belongs to his cousin and Atif is taking care of it while the cousin is away for work. A severe storm ripped through Calgary shredding homes and cars.
Jim Wells/Postmedia
Celyeste Power, with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, said those who suffered damage to their property can breathe a sigh of relief considering many policies cover hail damage.
“Essentially, the silver lining here for folks who are dealing with a lot of stress and turmoil this morning is that typically hail damage is covered under most home policies,” Power said, adding it should similarly be covered under auto insurance policies, if comprehensive coverage was purchased.
Once it’s safe to do so, she said home and vehicle owners should assess the damage and call their customer service representative immediately.
“We recommend you be as detailed as possible when providing information to your insurer,” said Power.
“So, when you’re assessing the damage, list all damaged items, assemble proof of purchase, receipts, warranties, anything you have on hand and, if possible, take pictures of the damage you are seeing.”
Social media posts, so far, show vehicle roofs crushed and windows and lights shattered. The siding on many homes has been tattered, lawns ripped apart and flooding in basements.
Misha Dukic looks at this damaged car on Saddlemead Rd NE in Calgary on Sunday, June 14, 2020. A severe storm ripped through Calgary shredding homes and cars.
Jim Wells/Postmedia
Chahal said many of his constituents have contacted their insurance agencies but said some have been unsuccessful in seeking help. Many people in his ward are just taking it minute by minute.
“We have a strong, tight-knit community here and they’re out cleaning their front lawns and helping their neighbours and trying to continue on, knowing there is a lot of work that still needs to be done,” he said.
“As Calgarians, we’ve been faced with many challenges. We get back up and we’re strong, resilient and we will overcome this, move forward and become a stronger community.”
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