Volcanos Could Cost Canadians Billions, says McGill Professor
When asked what natural disasters might impact Canadians most, volcanoes would probably not be the “Act of God” that came to most people's mind. John Stix, a McGill University professor, thinks differently though.
In a presentation at the RIMS (Risk and Insurance Management Society) Conference in Quebec, Stix pointed to the Icelandic volcano eruptions five years ago as an example.
“This was a very puny eruption and yet it generated huge losses worldwide because the whole North Atlantic and European air sectors were shut down for days,” Stix said in his conference speech.
Stix went on to explain the aviation industry did not know how to respond to the eruption as there were no reliable standards of practice on which to fall back on.
He stated that while it might be obvious that flying through areas with high levels of ash is risky, there was nothing in place to dictate what would be safe.
“[W]hen you get several hundred or several thousand kilometres away from the source volcano, then what do you do? What is the safe level of ash in the atmosphere through which an aircraft can fly?” he asked.
On the home front, Stix states that the “Cascadia subduction zone” which runs through Vancouver Island, down the Pacific coast to northern California is the most likely trouble zone.
There are number of active volcanoes in the area that could erupt and create a large amount of ash, Stix said. With the way wind patterns run in the area, an eruption could have huge implications for Canada and the U.S., depending on size, duration, and direction of the ash.
While many home insurance policies do contain some coverage for natural disasters, it’s important for customers to familiarize themselves with how they are protected.
Stix emphasized that planning is important for North America; before the next “absolutely inevitable” explosive eruption occurs along the Cascadian.
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