Home Research Emergency management Natural Hazards of Canada Tsunamis and storm surges Significant tsunamis and storm surges of the 19th and 20th centuries

Significant tsunamis and storm surges of the 19th and 20th centuries

All damage figures are in year 2000 dollars

2000 Storm surge: 1.6 metres above high tide mark map
North shore of Prince Edward Island and the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast of New Brunswick / October / The remains of a tropical storm hit the Gulf of St. Lawrence with wind gusts of 120 km/h, building ocean waves of 7-11 metres and causing massive damage to coastal infrastructure.

2000 Surge size: 1.2 - 2.0 metres map
Maritime Provinces / January / An intense winter storm hit the Maritimes during a run of very high tides. The storm was accompanied by up to 70 centimetres of snow, high winds and -40^oC wind chill. The storm surge caused coastal flooding in the Gulf of St. Lawrence affecting Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, exceeding previous records. In places, the storm surge forced winter ice onto shorelines. Damages were estimated at $20 million.

1983 Surge size: 0.76 to 1.5 metres map
Cape Breton Island, NS / October / Water levels rose 0.76 to 1.5 metres above normal high water mark. Storm surge flooded coastal highways, destroyed 30 fishing boats and thousands of lobster traps.

1976 Surge size: 1.6 metres map
Bay of Fundy, NS and NB February / Hurricane force winds accompanied the Groundhog Day storm of February in the Maritimes. Hardest hit was south-western Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick with coastal flooding and extensive damage to wharves, coastal buildings, boats and vessels. Power and communications lines were also knocked out. Damage was estimated in the tens of millions of dollars.

1964 Tsunami size: 2.4 to 6 metres map
British Columbia outer coast / March / A magnitude 8.5 earthquake in Alaska caused a 2.4-metre wave at Tofino. Run-up was higher in many areas. Amplitude in Port Alberni was over six metres damaging 320 buildings and causing $8.4 million in damage.

1960 Tsunami size: 1.2 metres map
British Columbia’s outer coast / June / A magnitude 9.5 earthquake in Chile causeda 1.2-metre wave at the Tofino tide gauge. Run-up was higher in many areas. There was damage to log booms along the western coast of Vancouver Island and in the Queen Charlotte Islands.

1959 Surge size: unregistered map
New Brunswick / June / Hurricane-type storm with heavy rainfall and storm force winds hit New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. It resulted in the death of many fishermen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, who did not have time to get back to shore before the storm hit. The winds and ocean waves at sea were the most damaging aspects of the event but high tides and coastal flooding was reported in New Brunswick.

1951 Surge size: unregistered map
Newfoundland coastline / December / A severe storm with high wind velocities caused a storm surge and forced the evacuation of 600 people from along the Newfoundland coastline.

9 1929 Tsunami size: 5 metres map
Burin Peninsula, NF / November / A 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland generated a tsunami, which drowned 27 people and destroyed houses, boats and docks on the Burin Peninsula.

1873 Surge size: unregistered map
Gulf of St. Lawrence coast of New Brunswick / August / Hurricane caused many sunken ships and fatalities in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to sudden windstorm. There was extensive flooding and coastal damage in south-western Gulf of St. Lawrence.

1869 Surge size: 1.2 - 2.1 metres map
Bay of Fundy, NS and NB / October / The Saxby Tide, which accompanied the Saxby Gale, caused major flooding along the Bay of Fundy and overtopped or destroyed the dykes that protected the reclaimed salt marshes. The storm caused damage to wharves, coastline buildings, boats and vessels. A number of fatalities were associated with the storm, which were caused by ships sinking at sea and people drowning in the coastal flood.

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