ulie Nyikos stands in the doorway of her son’s house on Hillside Place, where Monday’s hail storm forced its way through the door, causing much damage to the basement.
Lyonel Doherty photo
Diabolical.
That’s what Julie Nyikos called Monday’s freakish hail storm that pounded Oliver and turned Main Street into a river.
Nyikos was in tears describing the havoc the storm caused to her son’s residence on Hillside Place.
She thought there was a fire after seeing all the white foam (a foot deep) in the basement. But she soon realized it was hail in a bizarre scene straight out of a disaster movie.
The hail forced its way down the steps and appeared to push its way through the door. Nyikos said her son reported that the hail was four feet deep in the basement as he tried to shovel it out.
Greg Smith and Nieves Windley, who live near the corner of Fairview Road and Kootenay Street, reported flooding in their home.
They attended Monday’s Town council meeting to lodge a complaint against the municipality.
Windley warned the Town in two previous emails about the flood potential in front of her house.
She said her home was flooded Monday because the Town of Oliver previously built a high asphalt curb in front of her neighbour’s house, which diverts all storm precipitation directly to her property and residence.
In an email to the Town, Windley noted that if compensation was not forthcoming immediately, she intends to seek legal action. She also said it is imperative that the Town fix the roadside curb that caused the problem.
Smith told council that the curb automatically funnels all water from Fairview Road right into the property. He noted their house, shed and garage sustained flood damage.
Mayor Ron Hovanes assured the couple that Public Works was looking into the matter. The Town began working on a solution on Tuesday.
The mayor said he grew up on a farm and never saw a hail storm like this before. “There is significant damage out there.”
Councillor Jack Bennest told Windley and Smith if this issue hasn’t been dealt with in two weeks, “I will be as angry as you are.”
Meanwhile, crop insurance representatives are dealing with “tons” of hail damage reports, according to agriculture officials.
Pinder Dhaliwal, vice-president of the BC Fruit Growers’ Association, said it will take a couple of days to assess the damage and see if any early fruit, such as cherries, show bruising.
Dhaliwal said the hail was hard and constant for about 12 minutes. The Town of Oliver saw the most hail, but outlying areas were hit too, including past the high school and some areas of Black Sage Road.
Dhaliwal said they didn’t see hail from Road 3 to Road 17, but some was reported in the “Graveyard Hill” area near Osoyoos.
