1996 Saguenay Floods

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Saguenay Flood 1996
1. From July 18-20, 1996 torrential rains fell in central and eastern parts of southern Quebec; this natural disaster is known as the “Saguenay Flood.” Within the region hit with the natural disaster, the areas with the most damage were near the Saguenay River and Lake Saint Jean which has an area of 106,000km² and a population of 300,000 (“Lesson of Saguenay”).
2. Before the natural disaster, on Thursday, July 18 as huge counter-clockwise moving cyclone called a comma started forming over the centre of North America. The head of this 4,000-kilometre long comma stopped over the Saguenay--Lac-Saint-Jean region, northwest of the St. Lawrence River. Then, at 1 A.M. on July 19, mild rain of what would become …show more content…

The Saguenay Flood caused great damage and fatalities that have scarred the nation; Lucien Bouchard the Premier at the time called the floods an "act of God," and a "once-in-10,000-year" event after visiting the ruined towns after the catastrophe. The Saguenay floods resulted in 10 deaths, and 1 718 houses and 900 cottages destroyed or damaged (Grescoe). Today the scars of the flood about a decade ago still remain. The famous little white house in downtown Chicoutimi stands as a heartbreaking symbol of the residents that residents prevailed against the waters of the flood. All but this one house of the thousands of homes and structures destroyed in the flood have been rebuilt, demolished or dealt with …show more content…

Many of the 15,000 victims of the Saguenay flood lost everything they owned, including their houses and even the land their houses were built on. Flooding and landslides had claimed about a dozen lives; 1 718 houses and 900 cottages had been destroyed; 6,000 evacuated; 40,000 meals served over four weeks at CFB Bagotville; and $4.26 million in temporary lodging assistance to 1,703 claimants (Grescoe). Moreover, hydroelectric stations were put out of operation, power and electricity were lost, and hydraulic components destroyed or considered inoperable. Reservoirs which held water also drained uncontrollably (“Lesson of Saguenay”). The banks are trying their best to show empathy to those who have sustained heavy losses and lost their jobs. (“Banks React

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