NATURAL DISASTER BRIEFING

Date: June 23, 1946, at 10:13 a.m.
Magnitude: 7.3 on the Richter scale.
Epicenter: Forbidden Plateau, central Vancouver Island.
Major Damage: 75% of chimneys in Cumberland, Union Bay, and Courtenay; bricks fell in Courtenay; several landslides and road upheaval.
Casualties: Two deaths (one drowned by tsunami, one heart attack in Seattle).
Soil Type: Clay and sand led to liquefaction and amplified ground motion.
Proximity to Fault Line: Major fault line close to the west coast causing frequent small to large earthquakes.

Date: May 31, 1985, known as "Black Friday."
Damage: Over $100 million; 12 deaths; 280 injuries; 800 people homeless.
Tornado Rating: Two tornadoes rated F4 on the Fujita Scale.
Path: Tornado traveled 80 km from Hopeville to Barrie, with a path 600 metres wide.

Severity: Worst hurricane of 1954; caused severe flooding, especially in Toronto.
Damage: Over 50 bridges washed out, $25 million in damages.
Casualties: 81 deaths in central Ontario.
Flooding Factors: Saturated water table before arrival; 90% of rain went directly into rivers.

Event: Most expensive natural disaster in Canadian history.
Impact: Millions of trees down, thousands of utility poles destroyed; 4 million lost power.
Duration: 80 hours; caused $5 billion in damage.
Casualties: 28 deaths; many evacuated due to cold.

Evacuation: Largest in history; over 10,000 homes lost.
Causes: Combination of spring thaw and snowmelt, exacerbated by heavy rainfall.
Damage: Estimated at $600 million less than potential without flood protection measures.

Event: Triggered by the 9.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska.
Impact: 7-foot and then 14-foot waves hit Port Alberni, causing destruction but no casualties.
Damage: Approximately $5 million in BC; 119 deaths in the US and Alaska.
Frequency: Tsunamis are rare in Canada, occurring every 15-20 years.