HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

Source: Schwab 1999.
On the morning of October 6, a large underwater landslide occurred at Troitsa Lake, on the edge of the
coastal mountains west of Tweedsmuir Park. The tsunami happened off a steep slope of a fan delta. The visible portion
of the landslide measured 60 x 400 m along the edge of the fan delta surface. This visible face is the head scarp and
upper slump block of a large landslide that extends down the steep face of the delta to depth in Troitsa Lake. During
the event, an estimated 3 million m 3 of materials moved.
A 1.5-m high displacement wave hit the opposite side of the lake, 1 km away. Groups of large trees matted
together were rafted by the wave up to 1 km across the lake. A 2-m high backwash wave crashed back over the head
scarp carrying debris up to 150 m inland over the delta surface.
The north end of Troitsa Lake, 10 km from the landslide, experienced an initial sharp swell about 60 cm in
height; not an abnormally large storm-size wave. Seconds later, water was sucked from bays and shallows, leaving
boats and debris stranded. About 10 minutes later, with a tremendous roar a large 1.5 to 2-m high wave returned. It tore
sunken logs and debris from the bay floor and hurled the debris onto the beach and up into the forest surrounding the
bay. Boats and floating wharves were ripped from their moorings and smashed into the shore carrying debris 20 m over
the beach.
A logjam at the head of Troitsa River was dislodged and sent down the river. Though the water subsided, the
lake remained unsettled. Many progressively smaller waves pulsed back and forth throughout the day. Following the
tsunami the lake was not dirty.
January 7, 1999
Event type: Fatal snow avalanche.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: The Terrace Standard, January 13, 1999.
On January 7 around 1:30 p.m., an avalanche killed two employees of the Ministry of Transportation and
Highways. The Terrace-based avalanche technicians had been testing slopes near Bob Quinn Lake and Highway 3,
north of Meziadin Junction. Having finished heli-bombing a potential avalanche site, the two men had decided to ski a
slope they were testing when the avalanche hit. Their bodies were found on January 8.
February 11-12, 1999
Event type: Severe storm.
Precipitation: Not available.
Source: Terrace Standard, February 17, 1999; Times Colonist, January 26, 2003.
On February 11, Tahtsa Lake recorded Canada’s greatest single-day snowfall of 145 cm. The Terrace-
Kitimat area reported a record snowfall. In the 24-hour period ending February 12 at 7 a.m., 127 cm of snow fell; 123
cm of which in a 10-hour period. *1) On February 11, Terrace reported Canada’s ever one-day snowfall record with
113.1 cm, breaking the previous one of 99.1 cm set on January 17, 1974. On that same day, Lakelse Lake recorded
127. 1 cm of snow, breaking the previous national record of 118.1 cm set in 1974.
It was the second big snowstorm in two weeks. Overnight February 11-12, more than 50 cm, bringing the
winter’s total to over 500 cm. Between February 1-11 alone, Terrace recorded 182 cm of snow. The continuous snow
was coming down at 12 in. (30 cm) an hour. The Terrace airport recorded over 110 cm at by about 5 p.m. The snow
was falling at a rate of 12 cm an hour.
There was so much snow on the runway that the Terrace airport closed first time in history and remained
closed the following day. Airport manager Darryl Laurent said it was the first time in his 15 years of work at the
airport that it had to close. Businesses and the Skeena Cellulose mill shut down. Schools in Terrace and Kitimat also
closed.
Overnight February 11-12, rain falling on the heavy snow put unusual weights on area roofs. On February
12, heavy snow loads brought down the roof of Kalum Tire’s service garage in Terrace. Highway 37 between Kitimat-
Terrace and Highway 16 between Prince Rupert-Terrace were closed. Due to poor visibility, snowplows had trouble
clearing the snow quickly. Due to an avalanche in the Bear Pass, Highway 37A near Stewart also closed. The highway
to Kitimat reopened at 11 p.m. on February 11 and the highway to Prince Rupert at 9 p.m. on February 12.
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*1) This snowfall broke the all-time Canadian record set in 1974 (Times Colonist, January 26, 2003).
May 22-23, 1999
Event type: Spring runoff flooding.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: Prince George Citizen, May 26, 1999.
Warm temperatures on May 22-23 caused the Fraser River at Prince George to rise a metre to 7.6 m. *1)
Though Prince George was still at low risk for floods, Quesnel and areas closer to the Lower Mainland remained at a
high risk. Snowpacks in Quesnel were higher than normal and Barkerville still had 6 ft. (1.8 m) of snow. Quesnel used
provincial funds to construct one dike and started construction on another.
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