Misplaced Pages

#618381

83-557: The first area to be drained and reclaimed for farming is a 7,200-acre (2,915-hectare) municipally drained polder south-west of the town of Bradford proper, of which 40% lies in King Township ( York Region ) and 60% in the town of Bradford West Gwillimbury ( Simcoe County ). The other 13,800 acres (5,585 hectares) lie north and east of Bradford, fringing Cook's Bay in the towns of Innisfil and East Gwillimbury . Portions of this area have been privately reclaimed for farming, such as

166-532: A tropical wave with tropical-storm force winds was approaching the Lesser Antilles . Due to the potential for tropical storm formation , a Hurricane Hunters plane flew from San Juan , Puerto Rico , to investigate the system. When the plane reached the system, they observed a tropical cyclone about 30 mi (48 km) east of the island of Grenada with winds estimated at 100 mph (160 km/h). The United States Weather Bureau promptly classified

249-480: A "major disaster" in the Carolinas, and offered "immediate and unlimited federal assistance." Recovery was quick, and by October 24, all but two units were demobilized. Another concern was the rebuilding of the sand dunes along waterfronts. An artificial sand dune barrier, 39 km (24 mi) long, was completed by October 30, which in the long run led to a more rapid natural build-up of larger dunes. With Myrtle Beach

332-569: A cold front; however, it retained hurricane-strength winds and it continued to drop heavy rainfall. In Virginia , wind gusts of over 100 mph (160 km/h) were observed at the Weather Bureau office in Norfolk . Roofs were blown off, trees and power lines were toppled, windows were shattered, and awnings were torn. The naval station suffered mainly minor damage to its temporary installations. The tugboat Indian , carrying five barges, sank in

415-558: A heavy hit: over 50 bridges, many parts of important highways, as well as numerous roads and railways were destroyed when the high water washed them out or carried debris and smashed them. Floodwaters slowly rose in the Holland Marsh – a bowl-shaped valley near Bradford – allowing people to escape to the town. Highway 400 , which passes through the marsh, was under as much as 10 ft (3 m) of water in some places when as much 6 m (20 ft) of water backed up. Much of

498-519: A meaning somewhat opposite to that in coastal context. Hurricane Hazel Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest, second-costliest, and most intense hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season . The storm killed at least 469 people in Haiti before it struck the United States near the border between North and South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane . After causing 95 fatalities in

581-421: A new approach to the design of dikes and other water-retaining structures, based on an acceptable probability of overflowing. Risk is defined as the product of probability and consequences. The potential damage in lives, property, and rebuilding costs is compared with the potential cost of water defences. From these calculations follows an acceptable flood risk from the sea at one in 4,000–10,000 years, while it

664-500: A parts ship, resulting in her running aground. Though not near the center, a gust of 182 km/h (113 mph) was recorded in Battery Park , the highest wind speed ever recorded within the municipal boundaries of New York City . Rain amounts were heavier on the western side of the storm. In West Virginia, the average amount of rain received was 230 mm (9 in) with localized amounts of 300 mm (12 in) reported in

747-407: A piece of land elevated above its surroundings, with the augmentative suffix -er and epenthetical -d- . The word has been adopted in thirty-six languages. The Netherlands is frequently associated with polders, as its engineers became noted for developing techniques to drain wetlands and make them usable for agriculture and other development. This is illustrated by the saying "God created

830-512: A popular tourist destination, the Chamber of Commerce began an information campaign to inform the public, which might have erroneously concluded from the massive media coverage that the city had been destroyed, that the city would be ready for the coming summer. The rebuilding after the partial destruction would transform Myrtle Beach from a "quaint summer colony to a high-rise resort city". The army sent about 800 soldiers to Toronto to assist with

913-415: A result of the hurricane. Due to timely warnings, only nine people were killed (eight by drowning and one by a landslide), but infrastructure, buildings, and agricultural areas suffered serious damage, and over 11,000 people were evacuated from flooded areas. In Haiti, Hazel brought flash floods which destroyed numerous villages, and high winds which caused considerable damage to major cities. The death toll

SECTION 10

#1732844880619

996-522: A result, many residential areas in the local floodplains, such as the Raymore Drive area, were subsequently converted to parkland. In Canada alone, over C$ 135 million (2023: C$ 1.5 billion) of damage was incurred. The effects of Hazel were particularly unprecedented in Toronto because of a combination of heavy rainfall during the preceding weeks, a lack of experience in dealing with hurricanes, and

1079-507: A tornado touching down in Bolton, destroying at least one house and injuring a teenage girl who was airlifted to hospital and later fully recovered. Professor William Day led the project to reclaim the large southernmost Holland Marsh polder, which was completed in 1930. The canal system was created by engineer Alexander Baird of Sarnia , Ontario . During prolonged droughts, the Holland Marsh

1162-597: Is one in 100–2,500 years for a river flood. The particular established policy guides the Dutch government to improve flood defences as new data on threat levels become available. Major Dutch polders and the years they were laid dry include Beemster (1609–1612), Schermer (1633–1635), and Haarlemmermeerpolder (1852). Polders created as part of the Zuiderzee Works include Wieringermeerpolder (1930), Noordoostpolder (1942) and Flevopolder (1956–1968) Several cities on

1245-608: Is prone to dust storms. A chance of dust storms only exists in the spring before the crops have a chance to grow or in the fall after the crops are harvested. 44°09′54″N 79°30′56″W  /  44.16500°N 79.51556°W  / 44.16500; -79.51556 Polder A polder ( Dutch pronunciation: [ˈpɔldər] ) is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes . The three types of polder are: The ground level in drained marshes subsides over time. All polders will eventually be below

1328-561: The Atlantic coast . Hazel affected Virginia ; Washington, D.C. ; West Virginia ; Maryland ; Delaware ; New Jersey ; Pennsylvania ; and New York . It brought gusts near 160 km/h (100 mph) and caused $ 281 million (1954 USD ) in damage. When it was over Pennsylvania, Hazel consolidated with a cold front and turned northwest towards Canada. When it hit Ontario as an extratropical storm, rivers and streams in and around Toronto overflowed their banks, which caused severe flooding. As

1411-689: The Ford Motor Company of Canada , the United Church of Canada , Laura Secord Candy Shops , and the British-American Oil Company . A portion of the fund was set aside as a contingency reserve in the event of unresolved claims and also toward administrative expenses. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority was created after the storm to manage the area's floodplains and rivers, such as building dams. The heavily flooded areas were expropriated and barred from having homes, and most of

1494-471: The Gulf Stream . The Hurricane Hunters were unable to observe the core of the storm until it neared land, reporting an eye 18 mi (29 km) in diameter on October 15. Later that day, a ship just off South Carolina reported a central pressure of 938 mbar (27.7 inHg), which was the lowest in association with the hurricane. At 15:30 UTC on October 15, Hazel made landfall just west of

1577-691: The James River ; four of the eight crew members drowned. One building was demolished and several others were damaged in Portsmouth . The ferry Princess Anne was beached into the docks at Kiptopeke . An unfinished vessel at the Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News broke from its moorings and was swept into the shore of the James River. The roof of the customs house was detached and landed on

1660-529: The Ontario Food Terminal in Toronto, vastly expanding their market. Yonge Street and CN Rail (Toronto - Barrie) are situated to the northeast. When the federal government relaxed food import rules in the 1990s and grocery stores consolidated to form large chains across Canada, small family farms growing diverse crops were, for the most part, no longer financially feasible, but a few small family farms still survive. Corporate farms that had bought land in

1743-761: The Paraíba Valley region (in the state of São Paulo ) have polders on land claimed from the floodplains around the Paraíba do Sul river. Bangladesh has 139 polders, of which 49 are sea-facing, while the rest are along the numerous distributaries of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna River delta. These were constructed in the 1960s to protect the coast from tidal flooding and reduce salinity incursion. They reduce long-term flooding and waterlogging following storm surges from tropical cyclones . They are also cultivated for agriculture. The Jiangnan region, at

SECTION 20

#1732844880619

1826-477: The Yangtze River Delta , has a long history of constructing polders. Most of these projects were performed between the 10th and 13th centuries. The Chinese government also assisted local communities in constructing dikes for swampland water drainage. The Lijia (里甲) self-monitoring system of 110 households under a lizhang (里长) headman was used for the purposes of service administration and tax collection in

1909-484: The party phone line rang in all the homes as residents called each other to warn of the flood. Those with houses that had only one floor escaped to neighbours with a second floor, and many had boats or canoes that they used for recreation. Many residents were taken in over the winter by neighbours in the town of Bradford. On May 31, 1985, a tornado touched down in the Bradford West Gwillimbury portion of

1992-531: The 11th century. The oldest extant polder is the Achtermeer polder, from 1533. As a result of flooding disasters, water boards called waterschap (when situated more inland) or hoogheemraadschap (near the sea, mainly used in the Holland region) were set up to maintain the integrity of the water defences around polders, maintain the waterways inside a polder, and control the various water levels inside and outside

2075-642: The 1950s sold their plots and a few family farms consolidated, growing mostly onions and carrots for grocery stores, export and food processing companies. Recently the Greenbelt family farmers market introduced by the Ontario government has helped some small family farms. At the nearby Muck Crops Research Station , located on the southernmost polder, various studies research the effects of altering specific agricultural practices. These typically focus on, and are intended for implementation, on Holland Marsh farms. According to

2158-833: The 357 buildings were left standing. The official report from the Weather Bureau in Raleigh, North Carolina stated that as a result of Hazel, "all traces of civilization on the immediate waterfront between the state line and Cape Fear were practically annihilated." According to NOAA, "every pier in a distance of 170 miles [270 kilometres] of coastline was demolished". At the Raleigh-Durham Airport in North Carolina, gusts of 90 mph (140 km/h) were recorded; in surrounding cities, including Kinston, Goldsboro, and Faison, wind gusts were estimated to have reached 120 mph (190 km/h). With such high winds state-wide, heavy damage

2241-449: The 81 Canadian fatalities. The rise of the river was unprecedented and the residents did not evacuate, which led to the high death toll. The Etobicoke Creek also overflowed its banks at the village of Long Branch, killing seven people after many dwellings were swept into Lake Ontario. The death toll of 81 people has not since been equaled by a natural disaster in Canada. In addition to

2324-727: The Appalachians. To the north in Pittsburgh, only 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain was reported. To the east, the Washington, D.C. area was particularly affected, and considerable flooding was reported in the Virginias and Maryland. Much of the grounds of the Naval Academy in Annapolis were flooded, putting midshipmen to work the next day to clean up the debris. New Jersey escaped major flooding as

2407-481: The Dominion Weather Office, but since it was expected that the storm would pass east of Toronto , few other warnings were given and there were no evacuations, which increased the eventual property damage and loss of life. The forecast called for high winds between 65 and 80 km/h (40 and 50 mph), with only occasional showers. On lakes Erie and Ontario , ships received warnings of strong winds, and

2490-640: The Hurricane Hunters resumed entering the center of Hazel, reporting an eye and hurricane force winds. At 14:00 UTC on October 13, Hazel struck Inagua in the Bahamas with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). After affecting the Bahamas, Hazel accelerated northwest toward the southeastern United States, steered between a trough and a ridge. Hurricanes are generally expected to lose power after going north of Florida due to lower water temperatures. However, Hazel restrengthened as it tracked northward over

2573-540: The North Carolina/South Carolina border with a 40 mi (64 km) eye, slightly northeast of Myrtle Beach in the latter state. Based on the pressure, a larger than average size, and the fast forward movement, the landfall intensity was estimated at 130 mph (210 km/h), or a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale . The eye of Hazel was tracked across several towns in North Carolina as

Holland Marsh - Misplaced Pages Continue

2656-419: The Ontario government Holland Marsh Schedule 3 Greenbelt map, all of Holland Marsh - whether designated agricultural, recreational or wetland - is a 22,000-acre (89 km) specialty soil region. The southernmost polder sits on the lowest lying, flat area, consisting of 7,200 acres (29 km), of the 816,120-acre (3,303 km) Lake Simcoe Watershed region. The area is oval shaped, with the narrowest points at

2739-471: The Ravenshoe Road and Bradford Marsh areas, and portions are recreational or undisturbed wetland. In some cases, recreational boating, wetland and agricultural areas intersect. The flat reclaimed areas consist of fertile organic soil , ideal for growing crops such as onions, leafy greens, celery and carrots. Organic matter consists of living plant tissues and organisms found in soil. Organic matter improves

2822-620: The US, Hazel struck Canada as an extratropical storm, which raised the death toll by 81 people, mostly in Toronto . As a result of the high death toll and the damage caused by Hazel, its name was retired from use for North Atlantic hurricanes . In Haiti, Hazel destroyed 40 percent of the coffee trees and 50 percent of the cacao crop, which affected the economy for several years. The hurricane made landfall near Calabash, North Carolina , and destroyed most waterfront dwellings. It then traveled north along

2905-690: The United States Weather Bureau issued a warning for the Carolinas , with the caveat that the worst of the hurricane was expected to stay offshore. Instead, the storm took a sharp northwest turn and headed toward land. By evening of the same day, the storm was forecast to make landfall near the Carolinas border. Further forecasts expected Hazel to lose its power and dissipate over the Allegheny Mountains . In her book Hurricane Hazel , Canadian journalist Betty Kennedy argued that in Canada,

2988-428: The air. Polders are at risk of flooding at all times, and care must be taken to protect the surrounding dikes. Dikes are typically built with locally available materials, and each material has its own risks: sand is prone to collapse owing to saturation by water; dry peat is lighter than water and potentially unable to retain water in very dry seasons. Some animals dig tunnels in the barrier, allowing water to infiltrate

3071-412: The amount of runoff flowing into the valley from the surrounding uplands was so great that this failsafe became ineffective. The pipes below the marsh, which opened into the canal system with one-way valves to prevent flooding, also became ineffective. Highway 400 was five feet underwater. The residents were alerted to the flood because it happened in the evening when they had returned from their fields, and

3154-433: The casualties, over 4,000 families were left homeless. The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada estimates the total cost of Hurricane Hazel for Canada, taking into account long-term effects such as economic disruption, the cost of lost property, and recovery costs, to be C$ 1.03 billion in 2004 dollars (1.59 billion in 2024 dollars). In the aftermath of Hazel, a three-day period of national mourning

3237-480: The central Caribbean and turned sharply to the north-northeast toward Hispaniola , steered by an upper-level low . At 09:00 UTC on October 12, the hurricane made landfall near Chardonnières along the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti as a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale . There were no strong wind readings at landfall, but based on previous radar and aircraft observations

3320-596: The cleanup, providing blankets and mattresses. Toronto residents helped out with the relief effort: the Salvation Army received so many donations of clothes, footwear, blankets, food, and money that its storage facilities were overfilled, forcing it to advise against further donations until they were needed. A Hurricane Relief Fund was established to coordinate financial donations, ultimately raising about $ 5.3 million (CAD). The fund received donations from organisations, companies, and individuals including Pope Pius XII ,

3403-411: The crops in the area were either swept away or ruined. After the water pumps failed due to debris, better equipment allowed the Holland Marsh to be drained by November 13. The Humber River in the west end of Toronto caused the most destruction as a result of an intense flash flood after most minor rivers and creeks drained into it. A team of five volunteer firefighters were killed when their fire truck

Holland Marsh - Misplaced Pages Continue

3486-719: The high tide was low enough, but to the south in Chesapeake Bay , the majority of crab pots were destroyed. Hazel lost a considerable amount of moisture when crossing the Allegheny Mountains, which raised rivers and streams in the Pittsburgh area significantly above the flood mark. In Pennsylvania, the winds were still high enough to unroof several homes. In upstate New York, the storm blocked highways and railroads. The 491-foot (150 m) tower of television station WTVE in Elmira

3569-471: The hurricane to the Carolinian coast. West of Haiti, the hurricane brought hurricane-force winds to Cuba. A fisherman on the eastern tip of Cuba was killed by rough seas while trying to secure his boats. Since the hurricane passed largely east of the Bahamas, only minor damage was reported there. Hazel passed directly over Inagua , where it claimed six lives when a sailboat capsized while taking shelter from

3652-410: The impressions that Hazel was "the best-kept secret in town" and that it was a "fully documented meteorological event that should have taken nobody by surprise" both "paradoxically [...] contain a great deal of truth". Meteorologists predicted that if Hazel merged with the cold front, the storm would not lose intensity, but would instead potentially strengthen. Two Special Weather Bulletins were issued by

3735-582: The land was later converted into an extensive park system along Toronto's rivers. A footbridge dedicated to the victims crosses the Humber River in Raymore Park, which was the former Raymore Drive. As a result of the high death toll and catastrophic damage in the Caribbean, United States and Canada, the name Hazel was removed from the tropical storm naming list for 10 years, and then retired permanently in

3818-519: The marsh west of Hwy. 400, lifting the roof off of one house on north Canal Road (Simcoe Road #8), and downing power lines and trees and ruining at least one house along Fraser Street. The devastation on Fraser Street was so extensive that it was renamed Tornado Road. The wind of the accompanying storm was of such velocity that many acres of crops were ruined. The storm also resulted in a tornado touching down in Barrie, killing eight and injuring 155 persons, and

3901-456: The northeast, into what is today known as the Kativik region of extreme northern Quebec, the remnants of Hazel were absorbed by a larger extratropical storm over Canada on October 18. On October 6, small craft warnings were issued for the Dutch islands of Aruba , Bonaire , and Curaçao , despite predictions that Hazel would pass to the north; these warnings were canceled a day later. After

3984-461: The northwest and southeast. This polder's length is about 15 km and its width about 4 km. The location runs from 44 to 44.15 N and from 73.8 to about 73.65 W. The Holland River's main branch meets the polder's north and south canals near the intersection of Bridge Street and Canal Road in Bradford. Before its development, the entire area was a large wetland extending almost continuously along

4067-551: The original circulation dissipated over western Pennsylvania and a new one formed over western New York. In contrast, the U.S. Hurricane Research Division later assessed the circulation as becoming elongated but continuous. On October 16, the storm crossed into Ontario and over the Toronto region. Shortly thereafter, the former Hurricane Hazel dropped to gale-force winds after moving almost 1,000 km (620 mi) over land. The storm slowed and turned northward, passing over James Bay early on October 17. After turning to

4150-447: The physical condition of soil, and residues from its decomposition play an important role in holding plant nutrients and water. Organic matter in soil undergoes change as it breaks down and decomposes and new material is added. Careful management of this soil is necessary to prevent wind erosion. Much of the fertile, organic soil has been depleted due to unsustainable use by farmers over the years. Submerged decayed trees contribute highly to

4233-460: The planes continued to monitor the storm, with radar imagery indicating that the eye became open and ragged. Late on October 9, it is estimated Hazel intensified into a major hurricane with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). Originally, it was estimated that Hazel attained these winds the day prior. The intensification was confirmed on October 10, when aircraft noted a well-defined eye on radar imagery. On October 10, Hazel slowed in

SECTION 50

#1732844880619

4316-545: The polder, with a liangzhang (粮长, grain chief) responsible for maintaining the water system and a tangzhang (塘长, dike chief) for polder maintenance. In Germany, land reclaimed by diking is called a koog . The German Deichgraf system was similar to the Dutch and is widely known from Theodor Storm 's novella The Rider on the White Horse . In southern Germany, the term polder is used for retention basins recreated by opening dikes during river floodplain restoration ,

4399-479: The polder. Water boards hold separate elections, levy taxes, and function independently from other government bodies. Their function is basically unchanged even today. As such, they are the oldest democratic institutions in the country. The necessary cooperation among all ranks to maintain polder integrity gave its name to the Dutch version of third-way politics —the Polder Model . The 1953 flood disaster prompted

4482-845: The polders into an inaccessible swamp, which allowed the Allied armies to stop the German army . The Netherlands has a large area of polders: as much as 20% of the land area has at some point in the past been reclaimed from the sea, thus contributing to the development of the country. IJsselmeer is the most famous polder project of the Netherlands. Some other countries which have polders are Bangladesh , Belgium , Canada and China . Some examples of Dutch polder projects are Beemster , Schermer , Flevopolder and Noordoostpolder . The Dutch word polder derives successively from Middle Dutch polre , from Old Dutch polra , and ultimately from pol- ,

4565-416: The predicted wind speeds ranged from 65 to 120 km/h (40 to 75 mph). Toronto Hydro called in standby crews as heavy winds were forecast, although they were almost sent home at one point due to a lull in the storm. There was significant rainfall in the Toronto area in the two weeks prior to Hazel, so the ground was already saturated. Few people in Canada had any experience with hurricanes, since it

4648-528: The second-largest town of Jérémie was reported to have been washed in the sea, with at least 200 more casualties. Damage in Aux Cayes was estimated to be $ 500,000 (1954 USD). Estimates of people left homeless in the wake of Hazel are as high as 100,000. Hazel destroyed about 40 percent of the coffee trees and 50 percent of the cacao crop, affecting the country's economy for several years. Objects from Haiti, such as bowls, were reported to have been transported by

4731-409: The soggy ground. In October 1954, Hurricane Hazel overwhelmed the polder's drainage system with unprecedented heavy rains, resulting in the dykes being breached at the north canal. Within six hours the whole area was flooded. The canals were designed with the bank on the outside of the marsh several inches lower than the bank on the inside, so that flooding will occur outside of the marsh first, but

4814-534: The state totaled about $ 27 million. At landfall, the hurricane brought a storm surge of over 5.5 m (18 ft) to a large area of coastline, producing severe coastal damage; the damage was greater since the hurricane coincided with the highest lunar tide of the year. Brunswick County, North Carolina , suffered the heaviest damage, where most coastal dwellings were either destroyed or severely damaged. For example, in Long Beach, North Carolina , only five of

4897-588: The storm turned northward, tropical cyclone warnings were posted for Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the waters of the Mona Passage . Small craft near Jamaica were advised to head for port ahead of the storm. The U.S. Navy completed extensive preparations at its Guantanamo Bay base , ordering about 1,000 civilians into hardened, fortified Quonset huts , flying aircraft out of the storm's path, and positioning surface ships out at sea. Then, on October 14,

4980-408: The storm was "uncounted thousands". Damages in the Carolinas amounted to $ 163 million, with $ 61 million incurred by beachfront property. Total damage in the United States ranged from $ 281 million to $ 308 million. While Hazel caused the most damage in the Carolinas, the storm did not lose all of its intensity. Going north, Hazel turned extratropical by midday when it merged with

5063-470: The storm went through Virginia, West Virginia , Maryland , Delaware , New Jersey , Pennsylvania , and New York . In general, power was knocked out and trees were downed. Wind gusts throughout the area reached 160 km/h (99 mph). Effects of the storm was able to break the incomplete battleship USS Kentucky from its moorings when she was based in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as

SECTION 60

#1732844880619

5146-443: The storm's unexpected retention of power despite traveling 1,100 km (680 mi) over land. The storm stalled over the Toronto area, and although it was now extratropical, it remained as powerful as a category 1 hurricane. To help with the cleanup, 800 members of the military were summoned, and a Hurricane Relief Fund was established that distributed $ 5.1 million (2023: $ 57.9 million) in aid. On October 5,

5229-827: The storm. In South Carolina, the storm produced 10–11 ft (3.0–3.4 m) tides along the coast. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed, including about 80 percent of waterfront dwellings in Myrtle Beach . As a result of the high storm surge, the low-lying sandy barrier islands were completely flooded. Two piers in Myrtle Beach were damaged. In North Myrtle Beach , a three-story hotel and an 800 ft (240 m) pier were washed out to sea. At Cherry Grove Beach , 75 residences were demolished, while at Pawleys Island , 40 homes were destroyed, while numerous others were damaged. One death occurred in South Carolina. Damage in

5312-586: The street. In Richmond , 200 store fronts were damaged, while part of the steeple at Trinity Methodist Church was toppled. Additionally, a 150 ft (46 m) microwave tower in Warsaw was knocked over. Approximately 50 percent of residents in Virginia lost telephone and electrical service for six days. The storm damaged approximately 18,000 homes and businesses. Overall, there were 12 deaths and about $ 15 million in damage. After North Carolina,

5395-558: The structure; the muskrat is known for this activity and hunted in certain European countries because of it. Polders are most commonly, though not exclusively, found in river deltas, former fenlands , and coastal areas. Flooding of polders has also been used as a military tactic in the past. One example is the flooding of the polders along the Yser River during World War I . Opening the sluices at high tide and closing them at low tide turned

5478-543: The surrounding water level some or all of the time. Water enters the low-lying polder through infiltration and water pressure of groundwater , or rainfall, or transport of water by rivers and canals. This usually means that the polder has an excess of water, which is pumped out or drained by opening sluices at low tide . Care must be taken not to set the internal water level too low. Polder land made up of peat (former marshland) will sink in relation to its previous level, because of peat decomposing when exposed to oxygen from

5561-447: The sustained winds were officially estimated at 120 mph (190 km/h). After moving through the Gulf of Gonâve , Hazel struck northwestern Haiti near Baie-de-Henne at 00:00 UTC on October 13, as a Category 2 hurricane with winds estimated at 100 mph (160 km/h). Around that time, the hurricane curved more to the north and northwest due to an approaching trough , and

5644-524: The system as Hurricane Hazel. The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis later assessed that Hazel developed at 06:00 UTC on October 5 about 220 mi (350 km) east of Grenada. Although the Hurricane Hunters observed hurricane-force winds, the storm had a small eye 5 mi (8.0 km) in diameter and a central barometric pressure of 1,002 mbar (29.6 inHg). The 100 mph (160 km/h) winds were therefore revised downward to 65 mph (105 km/h) late on October 5, though it

5727-487: The system continued northward. At 18:00 UTC on October 15, the hurricane became extratropical near Raleigh , and within six hours had passed near Washington, D.C. Its extratropical remnants accelerated to the north through Pennsylvania and New York along an extended cold front . Despite widespread observations across the eastern United States, there continues to be uncertainty in the track of Hazel as an extratropical storm. The Canadian weather service maintains that

5810-404: The tiny eye increased to a diameter of 29 mi (47 km), while the winds reached 85 mph (137 km/h), although winds were estimated as high as 125 mph (201 km/h). That day, the Hurricane Hunters encountered severe turbulence, which hospitalized one crew member and injured another. For the next five days, there were no further flights into the core of the hurricane; However,

5893-521: The use of its planes to assist with the delivery of aid, and the US aircraft carrier USS Saipan deployed 18 helicopters to help deliver supplies. Despite the relief effort, there was an outbreak of typhoid fever following Hazel due to a lack of clean water. In the Carolinas, the National Guard was mobilized by the evening of October 15 to prevent looting along affected areas of the coastline. On October 17, President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared

5976-510: The valuable fibrous nature of the soil, but without human assistance and ingenuity, the area would have little fertility. The main crops of the area are vegetables which reflect each wave of immigration into Canada, and have traditionally been grown by immigrants for ethnic markets in the Greater Toronto Area and for export. The agricultural plots were originally divided into 5-acre (20,000 m) "market garden" family farms, and produce

6059-553: The western arm of the Holland River. It was part of the Toronto Carrying-Place Trail , although another route to the east was also used, avoiding the dense marshy area. In the 1880s a mattress-stuffing business flourished as reeds were harvested first by hand with scythes then by horse-drawn mowers. Horses were ferried by flat-bottomed scows across flooded areas, wearing large boards on their hooves so as not to sink into

6142-586: The world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands". The Dutch have a long history of reclamation of marshes and fenland, resulting in some 3,000 polders nationwide. By 1961, about half of the country's land, 18,000 square kilometres (6,800 sq mi), was reclaimed from the sea. About half the total surface area of polders in northwest Europe is in the Netherlands. The first embankments in Europe were constructed in Roman times. The first polders were constructed in

6225-670: Was caused to forests, and to property as a result of falling trees. However, since the Carolinas, like the rest of the Southeastern United States, were suffering from a severe drought, the heavy rainfall brought by Hazel was welcome. In North Carolina, the most rain was received in the interior of the state: Robbins received 286 mm (11.3 in) of rain, and Carthage received 247 mm (9.7 in). Nineteen people were killed in North Carolina, with several hundred more injured; 15,000 homes were destroyed and another 39,000 were damaged. The number of people left homeless by

6308-591: Was declared in Haiti for hurricane victims. With existing infrastructure already poor, the recovery was very slow since many of the few existing roads were blocked, and communications equipment was either out, damaged, or destroyed. The Haitian Red Cross appealed for assistance to the International Red Cross, while the American Red Cross made a donation of $ 25,000 (1954 USD). Pan American World Airways offered

6391-460: Was estimated that the storm attained hurricane status at 00:00 UTC on October 6. At the same time, Hazel made landfall on Grenada with winds of 75 mph (121 km/h). After entering the Caribbean Sea , Hazel continued to present a small eye and wind diameter. The winds gradually increased as the storm moved westward, parallel to the northern coast of Venezuela. On October 8,

6474-419: Was estimated to be as high as 1,000 people; most of the casualties drowned when the water flowed in a flood down the mountains, some of which were as high as 2,400 m (8,000 ft). The situation was exacerbated by deforestation, which lessened the ability of the soil to hold water. Haiti's South Peninsula took the brunt of the storm: the largest town, Aux Cayes , reported at least 200 casualties, while

6557-487: Was severely enough injured to require hospitalisation. The ABC Islands of Aruba , Bonaire and Curaçao , located north of Venezuela , received rough winds and rains of up to 9.8 inches (250 mm) when the intensifying cyclone passed to the north. Flash flooding in Aruba and Curaçao destroyed a bridge and several water dams and resulted in losses of $ 350,000 (1954 USD). Puerto Rico suffered its worst flooding since 1899 as

6640-472: Was swept away as they were responding to help a stranded motorist. Communities in the Humber floodplain were devastated. In Woodbridge , the river swelled from its usual width of 20 m (66 ft) at its narrowest point to 107 m (351 ft), and left hundreds homeless and nine dead. The Humber swept away 366 m (1,201 ft) of Raymore Drive and 14 nearby homes, killing 35 people out of

6723-426: Was taken to local markets. In the 1920s the main crops reflected eastern and western European tastes - yellow onions, potatoes, carrots, head lettuce, radish, etc. From the 1950s to the 1980s, Italian greens started to be grown, for example dandelion , escarole , and endive . Demand for Asian greens, such as bok choy , began in the 1990s. With the opening of Highway 400 in the 1950s, farmers quickly gained access to

6806-577: Was toppled by wind gusts; the station was off the air for 19 months. After weeks of unusually high rainfall saturated the Greater Toronto Area , Hazel dropped additional rainfall, peaking at 8.4 in (214 mm) in Snelgrove, Ontario . In three hours, the city received 3.5 in (90 mm) of precipitation. Most of these rains ran off into rivers and creeks of Toronto, which raised water levels by as much as 20–26 ft (6–8 m). Not built to withstand heavy flooding, Toronto's infrastructure took

6889-496: Was unheard of for them to travel as far north and inland as Toronto. Kennedy also notes that if "Toronto had been about to face a blizzard, or was threatened by a 14-inch [36-cm] snowfall, that [sic] would have been something understandable. [...] This was different. This was the unknown, the unfamiliar, the totally unexpected crisis. Hurricanes belonged in the tropics." On October 8, two crew members on reconnaissance aircraft were injured due to turbulence while observing Hazel; one

#618381