Canada
is a country that experiences virtually every type of natural hazard we know
of. From Hurricanes to Tornadoes,
Volcanoes to Earthquakes, forest fires to landslides, Canada experiences all
that Mother Nature has to offer. However,
not all regions of Canada experience each of these disasters. Many of these hazards only occur in small
regions of Canada. Others occur very
infrequently or in such remote areas that they do not impact the general
population of Canada. However there are
two hazards that are widespread throughout Canada and these hazards are also
directly related to one another. Each
year, the hazards that cause the most destruction and expense are Landslides
and Severe Weather.
Canada
experiences precipitation in all forms, rain, sleet, hail, snow, and ice. Due to the warmth of the Pacific Ocean, the
western coast of Canada receives very little snow, but can receive over 100
inches of rain per year. Other regions
on the Atlantic coast receive rain mixed with severe incoming wind in hurricane
or cyclone from. Snowfall generally
increases when traveling west from the Atlantic, with the Rocky Mountains receiving
an annual 240 inches of snow. This
combination of heavy wind, rain, and snow in such a cold climate can cause
damage to power lines, roads, trains, and buildings. After the initial impact of the rain and snow
and as the ice and snow begins to melt, our second natural hazard begins to occur.
Landslides
are very frequent in Canada, due to several geographical factors. The terrain of Canada is very mountainous and
unstable. This can cause debris and
loose rock to fall, even without the outside influence of rain or water. The heavy rain and snow Canada gets each year
also leads to additional landslides. During
or following heavy rainstorms, landslides often form due to the force at which
the rain hits or washes down a mountainside.
This flowing water can pick up rocks, mud, and other debris, gaining
speed as it descends down a slope.
Snow
and freezing conditions only amplify the impact of landslides. The snow itself can often add to the weight
on loose soil, thus causing the initial slide.
Other times, the snow can be piled so high, a small amount of melt to the
bottom layer of snow can lead to an Avalanche.
These landslides of snow can reach up to 280/mph and weigh up to 100,000
tons. Sometimes these are triggered skiers,
and each year there are stories about adventurers who do not survive their
fall.
Where
we truly see how the severe weather can lead to landslides is the impact of
ice. Rainwater can become trapped in the
small cracks between rocks on the large mountainsides of the Canadian
wilderness. Due to cold temperatures,
this water will then freeze inside the rocks, expanding and increasing the size
of the cracks. When the ice melts, the
water is released, and the structure of the rocks has been weakened. Over time, this can lead to massive
landslides containing tons of rock.
The
most advanced technology is being employed in order to monitor the movement of entire
mountains by taking frequent satiate images to check for any differences. In addition to increasing the range of this
photo monitoring program, I would also monitor seismic activity for any warning
signs of strong activity that could trigger a slide. While there is little that can be done about
weather, implementing stronger infrastructure for at risk areas would help
reduce the impact of severe weather.
Identifying at risk locations and taking necessary precautions to
reinforce structures and roads would also decrease damage caused by
weather. Both events need to be
announced to the public as soon as possible, and evacuation of high risk areas
would also reduce loss of life.
There
are many regions of Canada that could be identified as high risk. Personally, I see the most at risk areas of
Canada also to be the most remote. Areas
with low population often are less prepared to endure loss of power, roads, or
water. The Northeast, specifically
Newfoundland, is sparsely populated, and experiences some of the most severe
weather in Canada. Other places such as
Yukon and Northwest Territory would be at risk for landslides due to their
rocky terrain.
If
I was to build a house in Canada, I would choose to build it in Vancouver,
British Columbia. Just over 30 miles north
of Washington, Vancouver is a city with virtually the same hazard risks as here
in California, with a lot more rain. This is a city that has plenty of resources, and less risk of landslides and forest fires than a more mountainous, remote region of Canada. There is always the chance of a major earthquake, volcano, or tsunami,
caused by the three tectonic plates along the Pacific coast. However the risks
of tornadoes, hurricanes, and landslides decreases greatly due to the climate of
the Pacific as opposed to the east coast. Personally, I am more comfortable with rare chance of an earthquake here on the Pacific coast, than the annual hurricane or blizzard experienced by the Atlantic coast.
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
David, really nice final post. I enjoyed reading this. I am not that familiar with Canada but reading all of this put together seems like they get the all around seasons. What i know about Canada is how cold it gets, and what was interesting is how you mentioned landslides were caused by the severity of cold and how the ice builds up in the rocks causing them to weaken. I have a few friends from Canada and would definitely like to visit sometime. Nice job
ReplyDeletethis is a very well written post. I agree with your assessment of where to build a home in Canada, BC is in a very good geologic location. The canadians have a little less to fear from things like tornadoes than we do here in the states, but (for most of the country) it is sort of balanced out by a harsher and more dangerous winter. I've enjoyed reading your posts all semester David, they have been informative and succinct. All the best.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed learning all about Canadian disasters this semester! I wanted point out BC is in the middle of the highest seismicity risk map....(: having said that, we all live in quake-land so, as you say, the risk of an earthquake is something we have learned to live with...I also wanted to point out that although the risk areas you mention are risk areas,..because the population is not that dense, in reality, the risk maps would only focus on areas with max. population. so the remote areas might not be a priority...
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I think I couldn't agree more on your decision of where to build a home in Canada. I too would rather deal with infrequent earthquakes near the Pacific Coast than the consistent hurricanes and blizzards near the Atlantic Coast. I always wanted to experience how it is living in Canada, but now I realize the weather may be too chilly for my taste.
ReplyDelete