Aftermath of Major Storm in Vancouver

Last night's storm hit Vancouver hard. At winds above 100km per hour, trees and power lines were felled. Many suffered power outages, and many traffic lights were either not working or were mangled up. When I stopped at a red light today, there was a metal arrow sign hanging treacherously above my car, dangling only on a single metal strap which can break anytime.

Just yesterday afternoon, my kids were excitedly telling us that a major storm will be hitting Vancouver in the late evening. Some schools announced that they will be closed on Friday.

With the winds howling, I woke up at 3AM as the winds not only rattled the windows in our apartment, but blew lots of stuff outside along the roads. I was even wondering when tree branches will start flying in the air and damage cars and windows. I checked my kids and they were sound asleep. I was thinking about the homeless and the people out in the streets, and hoped that they will be able to find some shelter. My heart also goes out to those mending power lines and repairing the basic utilities for affected residents.

I learn that storms can be a terrifying event. As I drove along King Edward Road, I saw many tree casualties. On the radio, Lions Gate Bridge was closed. So was Stanley Park. When they say it is a serious storm, it is a serious storm. While many suffered loss of power, we were relatively more fortunate. We only lost our Internet connection.

ks