Major Landslides

Landslides are mass movement of soil and rock (as opposed to avalanche which are similar movements of snow and ice). Landslides have resulted in several hundred deaths in Canada, and caused billions of dollars in damage. They have occured in all parts of the country, even in areas where there is little topography. The hazards include the impact of rapidly moving debris, the collapse of ground beneath a structure and secondary effects such as river damming and landslide-generated waves. Landslides usually occur without warning.

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Frank Slide in Alberta: Canada's worst landslide disaster

Different Types of Landslides

• Rock avalanches which are the result of the failure and the disintegration of large rockmass and are characterised by a rapid downslope movement of the debris into the valley.

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Rock avalanche at Jane Camp, British Columbia

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Jane Camp, British Columbia

• Rockslides are a mass of rock that slides, on a short distance, on the detachment surface.

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Large block of silt falling in the village of Summerland in British Columbia

• Rockfalls which are characterized by a small rockmass that disintegrates into many blocks falling, bouncing and rolling down a steep slope.
• Debris flow which occurs when a mass of surficial material is saturated with water. Debris flows are often triggered by heavy rains. The collapse of a river bank is an example.

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Debris flow, Port Alice, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

• Debris avalanches that occur on the slopes of volcanoes are large rapid mass movements of volcanic rock. These have not occured recently in Canada.

Frank Slide, Alberta, April 29, 1903

Sixty million tonnes of limestone came crashing down Turtle Mountain onto the small mining town of Frank; the landslide buried part of the town, covering roads, railways and homes; the Oldman River and the Canadian Pacific rail tracks were buried under 30 metres of rock. Seventy people died.

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Turtle Mountain

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Turtle Mountain

Lemieux Landslide, Ontario, June 20, 1993

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Sensitive clay flow that occurred near the former town site of Lemieux, Ontario

This sensitive clay flow occurred near the former town site of Lemieux, Ontario. The failure involved 2.5 to 3.5 million cubic metres of sand, silt and clay which flowed into the South Nation River Valley, inundating 3.3 kilometres of the valley bottom and impounding the South Nation River.

Descriptions for each of the major landslides shown on the map are found in the document Major Landslides.

• Major Avalanches Map | Read about this map
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