Hurricanes are violent tropical storms which blow up from the Caribbean and occasionally hit eastern Canada usually between June and November with September being the peak month. The east and west coasts, however, do get fall and winter storms which have hurricane force winds. Hurricanes cause more widespread damage than tornadoes because they are bigger. Some are as large as 1,000 kilometres across.
In Canada, heavy rain and flooding are usually greater hazards than strong winds - although the winds are still strong and potentially dangerous. If a hurricane warning has been issued, and you live on the coast or in a low-lying area near the coast, you are advised to move inland and to higher ground. The high winds create huge waves at sea which, when they reach the shore, may become tidal waves or storm surges. Do not go down to the water to watch the storm. Most people who are killed during hurricanes are caught in large waves, storm surges or floodwaters.
As a rule hurricanes move slowly and batter communities for several hours. If the eye of the hurricane passes over, there will be a lull in the wind lasting from two or three minutes to half an hour. Stay in a safe place. Make emergency repairs only, but remember that once the eye has passed over the winds will return from the opposite direction and with possibly even greater force. |
