Winisk Flood, 1986
Encyclopedia
On May 16, 1986, the Northern Ontario
community of Winisk
was completely washed away. A spring ice jam on the Winisk River
caused flood waters to reach as far as six kilometers inland, sending every structure but two into Hudson Bay
.
Many residents were caught by surprise. Massive boulders of ice were carried by the torrent through town, completely enveloped by the swollen river. Several were injured and two were killed. One man drowned and one woman was crushed by ice.
Relief efforts were difficult, as few roads existed in the isolated settlement. Residents had no escape from the town, which was connected to the greater world only by a small helipad. While the flood had spared this infrastructure, it proved inadequate for effective rescue of the town's population. Some residents were stranded in canoes for days while rescue conducted by The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs airlifted victims between the disaster and the helipad.
An inquest was launched as a result of the disaster. Several recommendations were made, including more effective surveillance of river conditions, the implementation of an early flood warning system, emergency transportation adequate to serve its population, and a pre-planned escape route. Communication was also cited as an issue. Many northern communities did not even possess a CB radio
. The community's isolation contributed to its neglect in flood protection.
Winisk was abandoned, and the community was later rebuilt thirty kilometers up-river on higher ground. The new settlement was renamed Peawanuck
, meaning "flintstone" in the Cree language
.
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
community of Winisk
Winisk, Ontario
Winisk is a small ghost town in extreme Northern Ontario, situated along the Winisk River. It was destroyed in the 1986 Winisk Flood. After the flood, the town was re-located to Peawanuck, Ontario, 30 km inland....
was completely washed away. A spring ice jam on the Winisk River
Winisk River
The Winisk River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, that starts at Wunnummin Lake and flows east to Winisk Lake. From there it continues in a mostly northly direction to Hudson Bay. The Winisk River is 475 km long and has a drainage basin of . The name is from Cree origin meaning...
caused flood waters to reach as far as six kilometers inland, sending every structure but two into Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
.
Many residents were caught by surprise. Massive boulders of ice were carried by the torrent through town, completely enveloped by the swollen river. Several were injured and two were killed. One man drowned and one woman was crushed by ice.
Relief efforts were difficult, as few roads existed in the isolated settlement. Residents had no escape from the town, which was connected to the greater world only by a small helipad. While the flood had spared this infrastructure, it proved inadequate for effective rescue of the town's population. Some residents were stranded in canoes for days while rescue conducted by The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs airlifted victims between the disaster and the helipad.
An inquest was launched as a result of the disaster. Several recommendations were made, including more effective surveillance of river conditions, the implementation of an early flood warning system, emergency transportation adequate to serve its population, and a pre-planned escape route. Communication was also cited as an issue. Many northern communities did not even possess a CB radio
Citizens' band radio
Citizens' Band radio is, in many countries, a system of short-distance radio communications between individuals on a selection of 40 channels within the 27-MHz band. Citizens' Band is distinct from the FRS, GMRS, MURS and amateur radio...
. The community's isolation contributed to its neglect in flood protection.
Winisk was abandoned, and the community was later rebuilt thirty kilometers up-river on higher ground. The new settlement was renamed Peawanuck
Peawanuck, Ontario
Peawanuck is an isolated Cree community in the Kenora District, Ontario, Canada. It is located near the confluence of the Winisk and Shamattawa Rivers, about 35 km from the Winisk River's end in Hudson Bay. Its population is 139 ....
, meaning "flintstone" in the Cree language
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
.