Mesmerizing Photos Show Homes Encased in Ice After Massive Winter Storm Pummeled Region
It looked like something out of the C.S. Lewis classic “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” where it’s always winter in Narnia but never Christmas.
Unfortunately, the massive blizzard that took place over the Christmas weekend was all too real for people living in the areas of Crystal Beach, Canada, and Erie County, New York.
The City of Buffalo was considered the worst-hit spot in New York, with at least four feet of snow, according to Reuters.
Photos in Crystal Beach show homes that appear to be totally encased in ice because of the intense blizzard that rolled through, according to Fox News.
The 60-mph winds sent water splashing up on the shore. Then lows that were in the single digits and about 20 degrees below average for that area caused the water to freeze on many of the waterfront houses along Lake Erie. Ice covered the lake-facing side of the homes from top to bottom, according to CNN.
The ice buildup that accumulated on many of the Crystal Beach homes was an inch thick or more.
A resident identified only as Don, who has lived in the area for about 18 years, was interviewed by CityNews about the event. He described what it was like to live through the experience and expressed some of his concerns about the thick ice as it goes through the melting process in the coming days.
“When this storm started on Friday … the waves were so heavy that they were coming over the wall, went over back to the street, and was flooding the street to about two feet high,” he told City News.
He also said there have already been issues with flooding, and that even though many people have generators, they didn’t work properly in the brutal conditions.
Though residents are apparently used to winters that are harsh, this one was out of the ordinary.
“Like everything, we’ve gotta take one step at a time here in the winter,” said Don.
As the thaw continues, officials in the Niagara region have warned residents to prepare for flooding and expect that it will be significant.
Residents have been told to begin making preparations for possible evacuations by putting together emergency kits and to make sure any important documents are stored someplace safe from destructive flood waters.
Don said that while the ice buildup may be beautiful to look at, he believes insurance companies will refuse to cover the damages, claiming, “…this is [an] act of God.”
However, for residents in New York who have sustained damages from the blizzard, President Joe Biden has authorized federal support, according to Reuters.
The death toll in New York alone from the blizzard is at least 38, while at least 60 have died nationwide, according to ABC News.
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