Event CategoryDisaster
Event GroupNatural
Event SubgroupMeteorological - Hydrological
Event TypeWinter Storm
PlaceSouthwestern British Columbia
Event Start DateDecember 29, 1996
Event End DateDecember 29, 1996
CommentsSouthwestern British Columbia, December 29, 1996. An unusually heavy snowfall of up to 100 cm in some areas, brought traffic and emergency response service to a standstill in the areas of Victoria, the Fraser Valley, and some parts of Vancouver; over 100 motorists and rescue crews were stranded for days; airports at Victoria and Vancouver were closed, ferry service cancelled; sections of Highways 1, 3, 7, 11, 31 and 99 and other roads were closed due to flooding, avalanches and hydro wires down; reported as the worst snowstorm to hit the area in 75 years.
Fatalities0
Injured / Infected0
Evacuated0
Estimated Total Cost$215,339,641
Federal DFAA Payments$1,583,282
Provincial DFAA Payments$5,440,089
Provincial Department Payments$3,821,888
Municipal Costs$204,494,382
OGD CostsUnknown
Insurance PaymentsUnknown
NGO PaymentsUnknown
Utility - People Affected0
Magnitude0.0