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Hurricane Irene hits eastern Canada

Thousands without electricity in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

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Environment Canada said the strongest winds were felt just east of Quebec City on Ile d’Orleans, where gusts of 113 kilometres an hour were reported.

The storm also brought strong winds, gusting near 90 km/h, to parts of southern New Brunswick, northern and mainland Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, downing trees in some areas and knocking out power.

Forecasters expected Irene’s heavy winds to persist until midday, and warnings were in effect for the Maritime provinces and southern Quebec.

“It’s still quite a large system,” said Linda Libby, a meteorologist with Environment Canada in Charlottetown. “Here in the Maritimes for the most part, it’s mainly now a wind event.”

Tens of thousands of power customers woke up to no electricity in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Maritime numbers, however, paled in comparison to Quebec, where 215,000 customers were without power on Monday morning.

Hydro-Quebec said most of the outages were in the Montreal area as the outer fringes of the storm brought heavy rain and gusts to the region.

The wind also led to travel restrictions on the Confederation Bridge linking New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island on Monday. Flights were cancelled at the airport in Moncton, NB, while there were delays reported at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

By mid-morning, the Canadian Hurricane Centre said Irene was about 55 kilometres south-southeast of Baie Comeau, Que. The storm was moving northeast at 45 km/h and packing maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h.

In the United States, more than 20 people were killed when Irene churned along the Eastern Seaboard. Millions were left without power and thousands of flights were cancelled.

In New York City, the metropolitan area’s transit system was shut down because of weather for the first time in its history. Limited bus service began Sunday and the subway service was expected to be partially restored early Monday, though commuters were warned to expect long waits.

In South Carolina and North Carolina, the estimated insured loss is between US $200 and US $400 million, according to EQUCAT.

IBC responds

Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) would like to remind affected Canadian citizens that most home and automobile insurance policies cover property damage caused by these high winds. Concerning sewer backup and water seepage, these damages are covered if policyholders have previously purchased this type of protection, which is generally sold as a rider. IBC added overland flooding or damages caused by floods are not covered by any insurance contracts.

However, due to the many different kinds of damage, it is strongly recommended that policyholders contact their insurer or broker as soon as possible to verify the extent of their insurance coverage.

People should take all necessary precautions to protect their property, avoid further damage and prevent the risk of contamination. Residents can do this by:

• Removing any water that has seeped in;
• Thoroughly cleaning their homes or any other affected buildings, as well as all other contaminated property;
• Keeping invoices and vouchers for expenses incurred;
• Taking photos or a video to document the loss.

IBC would also like to remind policyholders that damage sustained by automotive vehicles is covered under car insurance policies provided they have purchased “all risk” protection, or “comprehensive” coverage.

For additional information, the Insurance Information Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Policyholders can also call (514) 288-4321 or 1-877-288-4321 or visit www.infoinsurance.ca for answers or information.

Click here for more stories on Atlantic hurricane season.

With files from The Canadian Press