Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells and his family are safe, but their van was severely damaged in an Alberta hailstorm Monday afternoon.

While travelling to Manitoba for a family reunion, the Wells family got caught in a torrential storm, just south of Red Deer, Alta.

Hailstones, some reportedly the size of grapefruits, battered vehicles along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway.

Wells posted a Facebook Live video afterwards, showing the extensive damage to his vehicle.

B次元官网网址淚t did a pretty good number on the van here,B次元官网网址� he says on the video. B次元官网网址淵ou can see the windshield is blown out, dents, dual sunroofs both blown out. Luckily the driverB次元官网网址檚 side and passenger side window were not blown out but the rear passenger windowB次元官网网址� was totally blown out.

B次元官网网址淥bviously the main thing is we are safe, we are healthy. Nobody got hurt; just a couple of scratches.B次元官网网址�

Wells told Black Press he stopped driving as soon as the first of the hail hit and cracked the windshield.

B次元官网网址淲e wrapped ourselves in blankets as soon as it looked like the glass was going to break,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淕rapefruit-sized hailstones blew out the sunroofs and were trying to smash through the (sunroof) headliner - the interior part that keeps the inside dark. So we were holding that up to keep the hail out and it hurt like heckB次元官网网址� if a hailstone hit right where you were holding it, oh my god. My knuckles are all bruised up and stuff from that, but thatB次元官网网址檚 First World problems.

B次元官网网址淲e all got impaled with little pieces of glass and stuff, but a couple of showers, and the kids went swimming - we are OK.B次元官网网址�

The family stayed in Red Deer overnight, then made their way to Edmonton Tuesday morning.

B次元官网网址淲e have a Jeep Grand Cherokee now - thatB次元官网网址檚 our rental,B次元官网网址� said Wells.

B次元官网网址淲e were supposed to be in Edmonton Monday night, so we will stay here for a couple of days before making our way to (Manitoba).B次元官网网址�

Wells said the car - which is his motherB次元官网网址檚 - is likely a write-off.

B次元官网网址淚t hasnB次元官网网址檛 officially been assessed yet, but there are hundreds and hundreds of cars damaged, so who knows when they will get around to it.B次元官网网址�

terry.farrell@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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