HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

path Big Tunnel at 80.0 km (Mile 50). On January 14, a passenger train got stopped near Exstew at Mile 51 as a result
of slides at Mile 51.5. The 24 passengers were stranded for 24 hours. On January 15, a Department of Transport
Sikorsky helicopter flew them out. The train returned to Prince Rupert on January 16 after snowplows reached it and
its 14 crewmembers. On January 20, it took three bulldozers one day to clear the slide. A CNR spokesman stated that
the main method in clearing the rail line had been with rented bulldozers. At one point, 12 machines had been
employed by CNR alone.
On February 17 the rail line was open, but subject to cancellation. Highway 16 was also open, in passable
but poor condition. During the week of February 21-25, a series of small snowslides came down over a distance of 8
mi. (12.8 km). On February 25, crews completed clearing the slide near Mile 50. Starting February 25, the
Department of Highways assembled convoy traffic twice daily. Traffic was reported back to normal on February 29.
January 27, 1972
Event type: Severe storm.
Precipitation: Not applicable
Source: Langara lighthouse tide gauge system book.
On January 27, a severe storm struck Langara Island. Winds blew steadily from the west at 85 mph. (136
km/h). The Langara lighthouse station sustained severe damage. The doors on the east side of the lighthouse engine
room were blown in. Salt spray came over the helicopter landing site, 150 ft. (45 m) above sea level. Salt also got into
the cisterns in the houses, contaminating the drinking water. The same storm severely damaged the lighthouse wharf
landing site. Though unconfirmed, the storm might have finished the already damaged submarine sensor link.
February 18-19, 1972
Event type: Snow avalanches.
Precipitation: Kildala (99.6 mm/1 day), February 18, 1972; Kemano (89.7 mm/1 day), February 18, 1972; Kitimat
Townsite (112.3 mm/1 day), February 18, 1972; Terrace (107.9 mm/2 days = 109.2 cm snow), February 18-19, 1972;
Falls River (114.1 mm/2 days), February 18-19, 1972; Sandspit A (31.8 mm/1 day), February 19, 1972; Tasu Sound
(56.6 mm/1 day), February 19, 1972.
Source: The Daily Herald, February 15 and 23, 1972; The Daily News, February 18, 21, 22, 23 and 25, 1972; The
Daily Colonist, February 20, 1972; The Province, February 21, 1972; The Northern Sentinel, February 23, 1972; J.
Mekechuck, pers. comm. 1989. CN Railway, Edmonton, Alta.; B.C. Ministry of Public Works 1973 (p. C 130).
Between February 12-noon on February 14, Terrace recorded 15 in. (38.1 cm) of snow. The total snowfall
until noon on February 14 was 207 in. (5.26 m). The record snowfall for the winter 1970-71 totaled 211 in. (5.36 m).
A few days later the record was broken after “the Blizzard of the Decade” dumped 42 in. (1.07 m) of snow on Terrace
over the weekend. It brought the year’s total until February 19 to 255.3-in. (6.48 m). *1) Terrace reported 75 in.
(187.5 cm) of snow on the ground. The Terrace-Kitimat airport and many roads were closed.
Kitimat recorded 44.2 in. (1.12 m) of snow in 24 hours. It brought Kitimat to a virtual stand still. Hundreds
of cars were stranded and abandoned between the town and the Eurocan and Alcan plants at the afternoon shift
changes. The roof of the B.C. Mechanical Building collapsed under the snow.
On February 19, a gale with gusts up to 70 mph (112.7 km/h) caused property damage in Prince Rupert. The
area worst hit was the Jamaica Avenue section.
Highway 16 between Prince Rupert-Terrace was closed. Two major and several small slides came down on
the 8-mi. (12.8 km) stretch west of Kwinitsa, blocking Highway 16 and the CNR rail line. Overnight February 19-20
snowslides 10 mi. (16 km) west of Terrace trapped a Canadian Coachways bus with 22 passengers. A westbound bus
from Prince George was stranded 5 mi. (8 km) east of Terrace for a time. The highway was reopened to one-lane traffic
on February 23. Until February 27, it was open to convoy traffic only.
CNR reported several snowslides, closing the line for six hours. The rail line was cleared on February 21.
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*1) The Department of Highways Maintenance Camp at Salvus, 36 mi. (57.6 km) west of Terrace, reported
(unofficially) a record snowfall for the winter of 1971-1972 of 600 in. (1.5 m).
March 7-8, 1972
Event type: Snow avalanches.
Precipitation: Kildala (58.4 mm/2 days), March 7-8, 1972; Prince Rupert M. Circ (129.1 mm/2 days), March 7-8, 1972.
Source: The Province, March 9, 10 and 18 1972; The Daily News, March 9, 10 and 13, 1972; Asante 1972 (p. 188). J.
Mekechuck, pers. comm. 1989. CN Railway, Edmonton, Alta.; B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways 1980.
A 36-in. (90 cm) snowfall in 48 hours caused the closure of Highway 36 and the CNR line between Terrace-
Prince Rupert. At Kwinitsa, three slides blocked the highway and the rail line. According to a CNR spokesman, a 200ft.
(60 m) slide came down at 3:20 p.m. on March 8.
Late on March 8, as temperatures rose, slides started coming down again on Highway 16 between Terrace-
Prince Rupert. A series of snowslides came down between Mile 35-50. The Department of Highways posted an
indefinite closure of highway travel. Two vehicles were reported trapped by two different slides on the west side of
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