Floods in Canada
Date
The floods started on July 20, 1996. The flood waters had gone by July 22. On July 21, the towns and surrounding land were flooded.
Location
The floods happened along 3 rivers. The main one was the Saganay River in Quebec.
Causes
There were two main causes of the floods :
-
The area received a year's worth of rainfall in 24 hours. A massive storm swept in from the coast. There was so much rain that the rivers couldn't cope with the extra water.
-
The water flowed over the top of the biggest dam at the top of the river valley. There were 5 dams in the river valley to protect the 10 towns in the area. The water level in the lake behind the top dam was already high. It had been kept that way so that the lake could be used for boating and watersports in the summer months. But with the extra water from the rain, the lake banks began to burst and the water flowed over the top of the dam. The gates in the dam were opened. The water flowed out and submerged the other four dams downstream.
Effects
- Houses were ripped apart.
- Houses started to flood.
- Furniture was waterlogged and ruined.
- Ornaments and other items were smashed.
- Roads and bridges were cracked and destroyed.
- The three rivers in the valley started to make new courses.
- 10 people were killed.
- 10 towns were devastated.
- 16,000 people were evacuated.
- 500 homes were destroyed.
- Levees broke.
- Lakes overflowed.
- Town centres were flooded completely.
