Debby aftermath: Weather event costliest ever for Quebec, bypasses 1998 ice storm – Montreal [Video]

The remnants of tropical storm Debby that swept through southern Quebec last month was the “costliest severe weather event” in the province’s history, according to new insurance findings.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says the torrential rain, which struck parts of Quebec on Aug. 9 and 10, has so far resulted in nearly $2.5 billion in insured damage. The whopping cost remains an initial estimate and could change, according to the bureau.

The financial fallout from Debby has already surpassed that of the 1998 ice storm in Quebec, at least in relative terms. In an email Monday, the IBC said the insured costs of the 1998 event came to $1.4 billion, which would cost about $2.4 billion today.

“The record-breaking downpour caused by the remnants of Hurricane Debby has led to a surge in insurance claims related to flooded homes, businesses and vehicles,” said Johanne Lamanque, the bureau’s Quebec vice president, in a statement last Friday.

Debby’s tail end brought …