[Eric in the Ozarks]

Missouri had this three years ago. Power was out in some areas for 14 days. We lost power for three days last year and about the same three years ago. Ice is something else.

[Alberta's Child]

The biggest recent natural disaster that nobody ever heard of was a similar ice storm in eastern Canada, upstate New York and New England in January of 1998.

Freezing rain fell for more than three days, and by the time it was over there were several million people without power -- several hundred thousand of them for three or more weeks, and in the dead of winter when temperatures in some areas dropped below zero.

It's been estimated that the fallen trees numbered in the millions, along with more than 100 high-tension towers and 30,000 utility poles.

No reports of looting that I'm aware of.