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Montreal marks one year since Tropical Storm Debby
A year after the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby flooded Montreal, residents reflect on their homes being flooded.
Last year, tropical storm Debby drenched Montreal with a historic rainfall, turning streets into rivers and flooding basements across the city.
The storm struck southern Quebec on Aug. 9 and 10. Up to 173 mm of rain drenched the western tip of the Island of Montreal on the ninth, while 145 mm fell on the downtown area.
Both totals shattered the previous single-day record of 102.8 mm recorded in the Montreal area in November 1996.
Among the hardest-hit was Anick Vandevenne, a resident of Île-Bizard.
Vandevenne's home was flooded when a nearby marsh overflowed. Within hours, everything in her basement was destroyed.
'Memorabilia, obviously, like all our furniture, sewing, washer, dryer, hot water tank,' Vandevenne recalled, describing the devastation.
Île-Bizard resident Anick Vandevenne
Île-Bizard resident Anick Vandevenne.
Vandevenne says her insurance did not cover the damages, 'We weren't covered for natural disasters.'
She filed a claim with Quebec's Public Security Ministry, which provides compensation for homeowners affected by severe weather events. She was approved for assistance, and renovations began in January, taking six weeks to complete.
The whole thing cost her $77,000.
Anick Vandevenne's restored home
Anick Vandevenne's home has been restored after tropical storm Debby destroyed most of it in 2024. (Swidda Rassy/CTV News)
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According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby were the 'costliest severe weather event in Quebec's history,' surpassing the ice storm of 1998.
The damage cost $2.7 billion in insured losses.
While the storm caused widespread destruction, Vandevenne says it also fostered a sense of community.
'Every day of the week, we had either cousins, friends coming to help a little bit, removing everything that was in the basement,' she said.
On Thursday, Vandevenne hosted a gathering in her backyard with neighbours to reflect on what they had overcome.
'We got close within this disaster, we became close and even closer with our neighbours,' she said. 'I just thought it was a nice gesture to bring everybody together.'
With files from The Canadian Press.
