TSUNAMI - ICE STORM Part A

THE WORLD

DISASTERS

Thick Coat
           Water falling as freezing rain turns to ice on impact. It can quickly build up to thicknesses of 10cm, damaging property and killing farm livestock in minutes. Insured losses in Canada's freeze came to massive $1.2 billion.

Deadly hazards of ice
        Only a few people were found frozen to death during the storm, but man more died from carbon monoxide poisoning as they tried to keep warm with poorly ventilated home-made heaters made from barbecues. More were later reported killed by falling icicles during the thaw.

Toppled by the weight
        Layers of ice enlarge electricity cables to three times their usual width, dragging down the steel pylons supporting them. At Drummondsville, south of Montreal, a series of eight giant pylons collapsed, blacking out 482,000 homes in the city. The ice storm raged for six days, but million left freezing in unlit houses at temperatures as low as minus 270C.