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Canadas Worst Natural DisastersLives LostDeath Toll
4000Other LossesFishing boats-200+1.NEWFOUNDLAND HURRICANE OF
1775Also known as the Independence Hurricane, the Newfoundland
Hurricane of 1775 created a large storm surge whichcaused the sea
to rise 10 meters. Of the 4000 people who died in the storm, a
large amount was sailors from Ireland and Britain.It is thought
that more than 200 fishing boats, along with their crews, were lost
to the storm.As the storm came on suddenly with no warning, the
sailors were unable to get to safety before the storm hit.After the
storm abated, the beaches were strewn with the bodies of the
sailors who died at sea; and for many years after, bones from those
who died as a result of the storm continued to wash ashore.
Death Toll
2000- Deaths were due to volcanic gases and poisonous smoke
emitted by the erupting volcano2.TSEAX CONE ERUPTIONOne of the
earliest known Canadian natural disasters, the Tseax Cone Eruption
is thought to have occurred around 1750 1775. Legends of the native
Nisga'a people tell of a period of prolonged eruption that
destroyed two Nisga'a villages.The legend says that while the lava
flow destroyed their homes, the Nisga'a people attempted to dig
pits for shelter but to no avail.
Death Toll
300some ships were also lost3.GREAT LABRADOR GALE OF 1885Noted
for its extreme storms, the Labrador Coast experienced one of the
worst in October 1885. At the time the storm broke, the entire
Newfoundland fishing fleet, consisting ofupwards of 2000 ships,
were at sea.
Death Toll
25019 ships4.GREAT LAKES STORM OF 1913The Great Lakes Storm of
1913, a blizzard with hurricane-force winds, is one of the most
deadly and most destructive natural disasters to ever strike the
Great Lakes. The storm battered the Great Lakes areaover a period
of 4 days, killing more than 250 people, destroying 19 shipsand
stranding another 19.The storm generated wind gusts of 145 km/hr,
created white-out blizzard conditions andwaves over 11 meters
high.While the storm was devastating, analysis of the storm led to
better forecasting and improved responses to storm warnings.
Death Toll
2231200 ships destroyed900 buildings destroyed5.NOVA SCOTIA
HURRICANE OF 1873The Nova Scotia Hurricane of 1873 struck during
August of that year and quickly became one of Nova Scotias worst
hurricanes. The storm destroyed 1200 ships and 900 buildings in
Nova Scotia while killing at least 223 people.
Death Toll
2232000km2 forest destroyed by fire6. MATHESON FIRE- 1916The
Matheson Fire occurred in July 1916 and was the worst forest fire
in Canadian history in terms of lives lost. There had been several
small fires started by settlers to clear brush and soon the hot,
dry weather and high winds caused the fires to converge into one
massive fire that eventually burned over 2,000 square kilometers
and destroyed the towns of Porquis Junction, Iroquois Falls, Kelso,
Nushka, Matheson, and Ramore.Because there had been fires burning
for several weeks and smoke had covered the area during this time,
the residents had little warning that the fire was upon them. Many
people escaped the blaze by wading into the nearby Black River and
small lakes while others were able to escape by train.
Death Toll
16016 000km2 forest destroyed by fire in 8 hours7.MIRAMICHI
FIREThe Miramichi Fire was a massive forest fire that occurred in
October 1825 and ravaged the northern New Brunswick area. The worst
of the devastation took place in Newcastle, New Brunswick.In less
than 3 hours, the entire town of 1,000 people was destroyedand only
12 of 260 buildings were left standing.The fire burned so quickly
that 16,000 square kilometers burned in 8 hours. Many people
attempted to find protection in the Miramichi River with their
livestock. Although the official death toll is 160, it is thought
that many more drowned in the river while trying to survive the
blaze.While the exact cause of the fire is not known, it is thought
to be the result of a very hot and dry summer and fall and several
outdoor fires by settlers and loggers.
Death Toll
8150 bridges destroyed8.HURRICANE HAZEL- 1954Hurricane Hazel was
the most deadly and the most costly storm of the 1954 Atlantic
hurricane season. After striking Haiti and then the United States,
Hurricane Hazel struck Toronto, Ontario, on the evening of October
15, 1954. Toronto was not prepared for the storm as they had no
previous experience with hurricanes and this only made the
situation worse.In the weeks before the storm, Toronto had received
a large amount of rain so when the storm hit, the ground was
already fairly saturated. The rain from Hazel had nowhere to go but
the rivers which caused the rivers to rise dramatically and flood
the areas near the rivers.Homes were washed away down the river and
as many as 50 bridges were washed out. Hazel killed 81 people in
Canada after already killing 95 people in the U. S. and as many as
1,000 people in Haiti.
Death Toll
73Mining camps and town were destroyed9.GREAT PORCUPINE FIREThe
Great Porcupine Fire struck the community of Porcupine in Timmins,
Ontario in July 1911. While the Porcupine Gold Rush was at its
peak, hot and dry winds stirred several small bush fires into much
larger flames. The fire quickly engulfed the dry forest and had
flames shooting over 30 meters into the air.Many people suffocated
under the mines while others drowned while trying to seek shelter
from the flames in Porcupine Lake.The official death toll is 73 but
it is thought to be much higher as there were an unknown number of
prospectors in the forest at the time. While the mining camps and
the town were destroyed, because of the gold that had been found
there, the town was rebuilt in a fairly short amount of time.
Death Toll
70-9082 million tons slid- that is equal to 14 great pyramids of
giza10.FRANK SLIDE-1903The Frank Slide is a rockslide that occurred
in April 1903 in the town of Frank in what is now Alberta. In the
early morning hours of April 29, 82 million tons of limestone slid
down the face of Turtle Mountain in only 90 seconds demolishing the
eastern edge of the town, the Canadian Pacific Railway line that
ran through the town, and the coal mine under the mountain.The
slide is thought to have been caused by water in fissures in the
mountain repeatedly freezing and thawing, weakening the already
unstable mountainside. Though the death toll is thought to be
between 70 and 90 people, the exact number is not known as there
may have been as many as 50 transients camped at the base of the
mountain.12 bodies were able to be recovered directly following the
slide, and 6 were recovered in 1924. The remaining bodies were
never recovered and remain buried beneath the slide.
Canadas worst Disaters in past 20 yearsHail Storm in Calgary
(2010)
Hail Storm in Calgary (2010)Cost$400 000 000Deaths0
Blizzard in Halifax 2004Blizzard in Halifax 2004Cost$19.9
MillionDeaths0
F5 Tornado- Elie, Manitoba(2007)F5 Tornado- Elie,
Manitoba(2007)Losses$39 MillionCrops Flour millBridgesHomesUtility
linesDeaths0Wind stormVancouvers Stanley Park2006Wind storm
Vancouvers Stanley Park 2006losses$10 000 000 in damages41 hectares
of forest is leveled
Death0Pine LakeTornadoAlberta2000Pine Lake Tornado Alberta
2000Cost$13 MillionDeath12100+ injuriesHurricane
IgorNewfoundland2010Hurricane Igor Newfoundland 2010Cost$200
millionDeath4Saguenay Flood1996
Saguenay Flood 1996Cost$1.5 BillionDeath10Ice StormOn, QB, NB,
NS1998Ice Storm- On, QB, NB, NS 1998Cost$5-7 BillionDeath28The
DroughtPrairies2000-2004The Drought Prairies 2000-2004Cost$3.6
Billion in decresed productionDeath0Ice StormS. Ontario
&Atlantic Canada2013Ice Storm S. Ontario & Atlantic Canada
2013Cost $106 Million$12.9 Million for Toronto Hydro aloneOver
1,500,000 people without power for daysDeath6**not due to the
freezing rain
