Tornadoes in Canada

The pattern of tornadoes in Canada is very similar to here in the United States.  The central plains region in the US is nicknamed “Tornado Alley”, specifically from North Dakota to Kansas.  Manitoba and Saskatchewan lie directly above this region, and experience many tornadoes each year.  Saskatchewan can experience up to 18 tornadoes per year.  The most devastating tornado in the history of Canada occurred in 1912, in Regina, Saskatchewan.  It caused 28 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and over 400 buildings destroyed. 

Canada is vulnerable to many types of extreme weather.  Each year Canada is hit with blizzards, ice storms, hurricanes, heat waves and tropical storms.  Environment Canada is the agency responsible for issuing weather alerts.  Environment Canada is responsible for warning the public when conditions exist that may produce tornadoes or other extreme weather. Using radio, television, newspapers, its internet site, and weather phone lines, Environment Canada provides information regarding at risk area and evacuation locations.  There is also a program called “Weather Watchers,” a group of volunteer weather enthusiasts who monitor the skies for any extreme weather on the horizon.  Environment Canada employs 31 weather satellites, which cover areas prone to thunderstorms and severe weather conditions, as well as where 98% of the population is located.  Most regions of Canada advise to seek the shelter of a sturdy desk in the event of a tornado.  Half of the deaths from tornadoes occur from mobile homes being hit, due to the lack of foundation.  Exiting the mobile home and finding shelter in a ditch away from any possible debris.  

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/tornadoes-in-canada-everything-you-need-to-know/25876/1/1

http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/hzd/trnds-en.aspx

http://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=F3FC6CAA-1

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/top-10-deadliest-tornadoes-in-canadian-history-1.1267514

Sinkholes in Canada

Sinkholes in Canada are actually a very common occurrence.  Sinkholes are common where the rock below the land surface is limestone, carbonate rock, salt beds, or rocks that can naturally be dissolved by the ground water circulating through them.  While many sinkholes are caused naturally by erosion and landslides under the surface of the earth, the sinkholes in Canada are in many cases man made.  Most sinkholes in Canada form under roads, due to the rupture or cracking of water and sewage lines underneath the roads.  The harsh winter and constant freezing and defrosting of these water systems puts a great amount of stress on the pipes below the roads.  Even a small leak can cause water to gradually seep into the soil under the roads, which will compromise the ability of the soil to support the surface above.  Over time, this can cause serious damage to the pipes and roads.  In some cases, when the pipes burst, the volume of water released into the earth can create sudden sinkholes with little or no warning signs.  

Certain areas of Canada are more prone to sinkholes do to a surface or subsurface layer of soft silt, leftover from the latest ice age.  This soft soil can cause risks of subsidence, especially near train tracks in remote areas.  Due to the large amount of snow melt each year, the runoff can cause the silt to soften and erode.  If the wrong structure is built on top of this silt, the structure can be destroyed.  This issue has been addressed, and efforts are being made to use higher quality materials in the construction of roads and water lines.  Many of the older, existing roads were built with a softer clay like soil beneath them.  Officials have worked to identify current risks for sinkholes, and are attempting to reinforce these areas.  This can prove to be difficult, as it would cause road closures and is an expensive process.  

http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/hole-picture/1002925051/?&er=NA

http://globalnews.ca/news/401401/a-list-of-the-worst-sinkholes-in-canada-and-around-the-world/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/why-the-ground-suddenly-gives-way-1.907424

Canada Landslides

Each year, there are thousands of landslides throughout Canada. The combination of steep mountains and melting ice flows makes Canada particularly vulnerable to landslides.  Each winter, when the frozen ice covering the mountains melts, it can cause the rocks to release from the mountain.  There are several strategies that are used to prevent the damage.

One interesting strategy that is being used in Canada is the use of satellite photo monitoring in high risk areas.  For example at Turtle Mountain, the satellite compares the position of  rock movement over a period of time to ensure the risk of landslides has not increased.  The distance is tracked over a period of about 24 days, and can detect movement of as little as 5 millimeters.  This information can be vital for preparing for a flow.

Other tactics used involve government planning to alert citizens of pending disaster.  Promoting people in high risk areas to take extra precautions such as evacuation plans, staying away from power lines, and understating that the grounds may be unstable for several days following an event.    

 

http://enr.construction.com/news/environment/archives/050614.asp

http://www.redcross.ca/what-we-do/emergencies-and-disasters-in-canada/for-home-and-family/make-a-plan/planning-for-landslides

https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/hazards/landslides