1. Move your cursor over the Environment label in the Explore Our Maps section and a pop out menu will appear. Move your cursor over and click the Natural Hazards topic in this menu. On the page that appears, click on the link to the Major Avalanches Map.

a. In what province do the majority of avalanches occur?

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b. Circle the area of this province that has the greatest concentration of avalanches?

northwest | northeast | central | southeast | southwest | coast/islands

c. What physical characteristics of this region might be responsible for this pattern?

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2. Locate and click on the Read more about this map link located in the small text box on the map or at the end of the abstract.

a. Define what an avalanche is.
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b. What are the topographic factors and snow characteristics that influence avalanche occurrence?

Topographic factors:

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Snow characteristics:

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3. In the Read More About section at the bottom of the page click the Natural Hazards link. Read the description on natural disasters and address the following questions:

a. Why do we concern ourselves with documenting natural disasters?

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b. How does the frequency and severity affect the impact of a disaster?

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c. What causes disasters? Give examples of the causes of specific natural disasters.

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4. Return to the Major Avalanches Map. Click on the Zoom In tool and then click on British Columbia. Click again on the area of British Columbia where avalanches are most concentrated. Click on the Get Info from Map button and then click on one of the avalanche symbols near the town of Revelstoke. Click on the link next to STORY and find the entries on avalanches that occurred in the Rogers Pass in 1906, 1910 and 1918. How many deaths were there in each avalanche?

a. 1906: _______________________________

b. 1910: _______________________________

c. 1918: _______________________________

1 Move your cursor over the Environment label in the Explore Our Maps section and click on Natural Hazards from the pop out menu. From the page that appears click on the link to the Major Landslides Map.

a. In which two provinces do the majority of landslides occur?

i) _______________________________

ii) _______________________________


b. Briefly describe and explain the distribution pattern for landslide occurrence in relation to their proximity to rivers and coastal water.

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2. Locate and click on the Read more about this map link located in the small text box on the map or at the end of the abstract. What is the difference between landslides and avalanches?

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3. What impact do landslides have on humans?

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4. Identify two primary and one secondary hazards of landslides?

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5. Give a brief description of the five different types of landslides identified below.

a. Rock avalanche:
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b. Rockslide:

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c. Rockfalls:

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d. Debris flow:

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e. Debris avalanche:

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6. Return to thematic map on Major Landslides. Click on the Zoom to Region pull down menu above the map window and click on British Columbia. Click on the Zoom In button and then click on the southwestern region of British Columbia. Click on the Zoom In button again and then click on Squamish, British Columbia. Click on the Get Info from Map button and then click on a landslide symbol northeast of Squamish. Click on the link next to STORY for Squamish – 1981.

a. How many lives were lost in the 1981 landslide?

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b. In which year will Whistler host the Winter Olympics?

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c. What secondary hazard would this slide create?

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