Episode 338: The Great North American Ice Storm of January 1998 was a devastating natural disaster caused by five consecutive ice storms affecting eastern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, northern New York, and central Maine. Montreal and southern Quebec were hardest hit, with freezing rain from January 4th to 9th accumulating up to 100 millimetres, collapsing trees, power lines, and steel towers. Nearly 3.5 million Quebecers and 600,000 Ontarians lost power, with blackouts lasting up to 33 days. The storm claimed 34 lives and led to the largest Canadian military deployment since the Korean War. The disaster tested the resilience of residents, who endured extreme cold and isolation while demonstrating heroism and community spirit.
Sources:
Jan 07, 1998, page 1 - The Gazette at Newspapers.com
The 1998 ice storm that called for the deployment of 16,000 military personnel | Weather Network
Ice storm changes the way cities prepare for disasters
1998 Ice Storm – Operation Recuperation - Veterans Affairs Canada
Ice Storm '98 relived: A handful of Quebecers look back
Lessons learned from the ice storm of 1998
Timeline | Ice Storm 1998: Immersion in the Black and the Cold
25th Anniversary of the Devastating 1998 Ice Storm in the Northeast
The Worst Natural Disaster in Canadian History (Ice Storm 1998) | Discover Montreal
1998 ice storm led to better preparation for disasters in Quebec | Global News
Montrealers remember the ice storm of 1998, 25 years later | Global News
25th anniversary of ice storm brings back chilling memories for Quebecers | CBC News
25 years later: Quebec remembers ice storm that plunged province into darkness | CTV News
https://www.hydroquebec.com/ice-storm-1998/a-perfect-storm.html
January 1998 North American ice storm
David Pratt, "Ice Storm 1998" on Feb. 4th, 1998
Ice storm 1998: Lessons learned | Wayback Machine
2023 Canada ice storm
https://www.hydroquebec.com/ice-storm-1998/
25 years later: Quebec remembers ice storm that plunged province into darkness
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Cold and Dark: The 1998 Quebec Ice Storm | Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
