Top Five Most Expensive Floods in Canada This Century
Weather Broadcaster
Saturday, April 12, 2014, 7:32 PM -
Spring is finally starting to arrive in some areas, and while its a welcome change for many, it can also lead to disastrous flooding.
The Weather Network opened its vault this weekend to bring you the Top Five Most Expensive Floods in Canada this Century.
PREPARE FOR THE WORSE: Belleville braces for flooding as state of emergency continues
5. Edmonton Flood 2004 ($303 million)
In early July 2004 an intense storm dropped more than 150 millimeters of rain in less than an hour on Alberta's capital city of Edmonton. Damage totals were estimated at $303 million.
4. Southern Ontario 2005 ($587 million)
On August 19 2005 a line of severe thunderstorms swept over southern Ontario with torrential rain triggered flash flooding in the city of Toronto.
The storm uprooted hundreds of trees, washed out roads entirely, and damaged homes and buildings.
DISASTROUS FLOOD: Toronto's July flood ranked as most costly natural disaster in Ontario history
2. Red River Flood ($1 Billion)
Now, two events from Manitoba are tied for number two on our list.
The first was in 2009 when the spring flood crest on the Red River was the second highest recorded since 1852. It is estimated that the Red River floodway, since completion in 1960 has saved $30 billion.
RELATED: Four reasons spring flooding occurs in the Prairies
2. Assiniboine River ($1 Billion)
And again, tied at number two was the Assiniboine River flood in 2011 that caused states of Emergency across Manitoba. It cost an estimated $1 billion dollars in damage.
1. Southern Alberta Flooding June 2013 ($5 Billion)
And number 1, the 2013 southern Alberta floods:
- Thirty-two states of emergency were declared across the province
- The flows or three rivers rocketed up to almost 10 times their normal rates.
- It is the costliest disaster in Canadian history.
2014 FLOOD THREAT: Alberta flood warnings expanded because of warming temperatures, spring runoff
In August, The Weather Network aired a special on television investigating and explaining the summer floods to occur on different dates in Alberta and Ontario.
The special, which takes insight from meteorologists, reporters and eye-witnesses to the Calgary and Toronto floods is available to be viewed online in a series of short videos, here.
