The Storm of 1978
Being born and raised in northern British Columbia, Canada, is an experience not all young people have. This is unfortunate for those who have missed growing up in such a beautiful place. There was no robbery of houses or stolen cars. There was no hectic lifestyle or traffic jams. There was no television in Smithers until 1964 and that one channel was the only channel until 1976, when we then had two. However, what there was in northern BC was life full of trusting and honest people growing with the nature and within the environment they were in. A spring of melting snow and the beginning of new life. Warm summers at mountain lakes fishing and swimming with friends and family. A fall full of colors in the valleys and mountains. A winter of hockey, skiing, curling, and keeping warm by a fire. The white snow powder and the beginning of a new year in northern British Columbia.
1978 was another year in northern BC. Winter, Spring, Summer, had passed. The colored leaves had all fallen and we were moving into winter. Most years at Halloween the temperature is cool to cold and often there is snow on the ground. However, this was not the case in 1978.
October 31, the temperature was ten degrees C, about 10 degrees warmer than normal at this time of year. In the Terrace/Kitimat/Smithers area more than nine inches of rain fell in 48 hours. Two inches of rain in 48 hours would cause high water and moving mud but, nine inches was too much of an overload for the terrain which began to crumble and wash away. To add to this tremendous amount of rain was a severe wind which reached speeds of 140 km. Areas like Chapman Lake had over 20,000 hectares of trees blown down.
Bridges were moved like they belonged in a Hot Wheels set and washed away. Culverts under roads that had been sufficient for years were not able to move the dramatic increase in water through them and hundreds of feet of road were washed away. Rail lines had their road beds washed away leaving hundreds of feet of track and ties hanging in the air. Power lines were knocked down or moved by mud. Natural gas lines were damaged by the Copper River. People were in their homes with no electricity and no heat. They were isolated since all roads around them were closed. Water was undrinkable in some areas and food was running low. Helicopters were used when available to bring in water and food to those most stranded.
This was a time in northern British Columbia's history when everyone was surprised but, it was also a time when people became closer and relied on their neighbor, their friend, and themselves, to work together and survive. Yes, we lost three special people from Smithers during this storm, Cheryl May Halwas, Francis William Watson, and my father Kenneth Scott Bateman. They are missed and in our hearts forever. Those who survived became closer to themselves and those around them, and learned something they will never forget.
There are many photos and reports on this website and this will increase as the site grows and has more input from others who were there during the storm or have done reports and studies. If you have some information, a story, photos, or have a question, please email me at, hoghead@trainwreckof78.ca. Please sign the Guestbook while you are here. There is a forum page written and if you have a question please post it on
the forum. As I begin to get closer to completing the structure and content of this website I will be spending more time at the forum to bring things up to speed there. Thank you for visiting this site, have fun, and enjoy.
Sincerely
Kenneth John Bateman - visit www.littleboo.ca
Denise Marie Gustitus
Diana May Wright
Of Lives Lost
The wind blew raging through the hills
Down the valleys in a storm
With danger on the roads and on the tracks
Most of us were safe and warm
Your men rode the steel that night
In spite of all the rain
In spite of all the obvious signs
Two would not come back again
It happened quickly the way it does
Whenever there is a slide
It isn't there and then it is
No time to escape - so they tried
Minutes later the worst seemed past
All were alive and well
None could have imagined at the time
The upcoming living and dying hell
While two men went to get some equipment
To save what was left of their train
The other two men remained unsuspecting
Fate would strike again
The first two men turned to see the train
The other two men felt their fear
The first two stood by horrified
To see the remains of the train and two friends disappear
Four men rode the steel that night
But, only two are left
Fate rang out a double dose
And took two of the best
John Blake- November, 1978
Where did the storm happen? Have a look at Live Maps
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