More than a week after bomb cyclone pounded region, hardest-hit Bellingham area still reeling
More than a week after a powerful windstorm known as a bomb cyclone devastated the Puget Sound region, toppling trees and knocking out power to several hundred thousand homes and businesses, the Whatcom County community of Sudden Valley is reeling from the destruction.
King and Snohomish counties took most of the storm’s fury but relatively little damage was reported in Whatcom County — except in Sudden Valley, an enclave of about 2,700 homes east of Bellingham, nestled among towering hemlocks, Douglas firs and western red cedars.
Damage estimates weren’t immediately available because claims were being handled by homeowners’ insurance companies and there has been no statewide disaster declaration that would help calculate losses. Officials in King and Snohomish counties were being urged to submit their claims to local government officials for possible state or federal assistance, according to a Tuesday statement from Gov. Jay Inslee.
Jo Anne Jensen, general manager of the Sudden Valley Community Association, said a survey conducted by the homeowners association found that 16% of residents suffered storm damage of some kind. That includes crushed cars and propane tanks, and damaged gutters, roofs, decks and homes that were a total loss.
“That’s just a huge amount of damage. The damage was quite widespread,” Jensen told The Herald.
As many as three dozen homes suffered damage that could make them uninhabitable, she said. No deaths or injuries were reported.
Sudden Valley took the worst of the storm locally, while Bellingham and the rest of Whatcom County were largely spared damage from winds that gusted to nearly 50 mph. Meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Seattle told The Herald that the wind’s eastern direction is unusual for the area and it twisted and bent trees that weren’t used to east winds of that strength. Heavy rain in the week before the storm may have weakened the trees’ root systems, meteorologist Jacob DeFlitch told The Herald.
Home inspections continuing
Jensen said that storm-damaged homes might require a more detailed inspection, especially if the home was dealt a glancing blow from a tree that was 3 feet or more in diameter, as many are in Sudden Valley.
“(Insurance adjusters) can’t really tell in many cases if the frame of the home is damaged. Those blows that hit the homes are substantial,” Jensen said.
Electrical service was restored within a day for most of the 7,100 residents of Sudden Valley because electrical lines are underground. It was the power lines along major roads leading into the area that suffered damage from falling trees on the night of Nov. 19.
Across from South Whatcom Fire Station 22 on Lake Whatcom Boulevard, a 3-foot-wide hemlock landed across power lines, dragging them to the ground and snapping off the top of a utility pole. It took more than a day to clear and repair.
South Whatcom Fire Chief Mitch Nolze said in a statement that firefighters from his department handled a week’s worth of 911 calls the night of Nov. 19-20.
“We responded to multiple propane and natural gas leaks, multiple trees down on cars and buildings, and three incidents requiring assistance to extricate persons from buildings that were trapped. For context, our agency normally responds to an average of 25 incidents over a week’s time period,” Nolze said.
“We know that there are many more homes, vehicles and other property that were damaged in this storm than were reported to us. We continue to stress that residents stay vigilant of the hazards produced by this storm and report any life-threatening situations to 911. We urge residents to use vetted contractors for tree removal, home repairs, electrical work and other repair trades to avoid injury or further damage,” he said.
Expensive repairs
Jensen said that the homeowners association, which has a small maintenance crew and groundskeepers for its golf course, is incurring “tens of thousands” of dollars that weren’t in its budget. That includes cleanup on association-owned roads and a complete damage assessment.
“Some of the trees that blocked the roads were beyond our ability to to remove. It’s not just keeping the roads clear. We have to go out and find all the trees that were damaged but didn’t fall. It’s weeks or months of work,” Jensen said.
Some of the wood is being sold to timber companies in an effort to gain some income. But that will be minor, and Jensen said association officials are hoping for disaster relief from state or local government.
“Our residents pay property taxes to the county just like everyone else and we don’t get back nearly as much,” she said.
Officials are the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management reached out to a few residents, spokeswoman Amy Cloud told The Herald in an email.
“We were able to connect residents with resources from the American Red Cross, which provided sheltering assistance for two households impacted by damage. Additionally, we’ve been working with several nonprofits to determine capabilities to support debris cleanup and will provide more information on that as it becomes available,” Cloud said.
Neighbors helping neighbors
Despite the damage, Jensen and others found solace in the comfort of neighbors who took in displaced families and pitched in to clear trees from homes, driveways and streets.
“Everyone is helping everyone else and we’re doing what we can,” Jensen said.
In the Gate 9 area near the Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve, resident Christine Sowers Campbell’s family was jolted when a massive hemlock clipped a corner of their house. As it fell, it bounced off another tree that kept it from crushing the entire building.
“One of the things we do really well here in Sudden Valley is take good care of each other,” Campbell told The Herald. “I have learned in my 25 years living here that there is no need too small that our neighbors won’t eagerly jump in to help. When a huge hemlock came crashing down into the corner of our house last week, our neighbors were out within minutes to check on us, returning in the morning with chain saws and strong arms. We are so grateful for the kindness and compassion of our community.”
