Avalanche Slabs

Impact

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Introduction

 As we discussed in the Droughts and Insurance article, droughts can be caused by lack of rain, extensive wildfires exacerbated by decreased humidity, lack of snow pack to melt and provide water or some combination of all three. While many people tend to look to rain as a fast solution, rain that is hard and fast more often runs off the land instead of seeping in, leading to mudslides, flooding, and other hazards, many of which are not covered by homeowners policies.

 Recently hurricane force winds from a meteorological event called the Pineapple Express have hit California. This is a river of moisture-rich warm air which flows north from Hawaii, and dumped several feet of snow or water in many locations. Some areas have received more than twelve inches of precipitation. Parts of San Francisco have already received more rain during the first eight days of 2017 than in all of 2013. The hurricane force winds were at Category 5 level. Category 5 winds can be strong enough to rip buildings off of foundations or peel shingles off rooftops.

 Avalanche Slabs

 Rain is a relatively straightforward weather event, varying in amount and force, and that's about it. We all know flood damage is not covered except by a flood policy, although damage from wind is covered. Snow however has different aspects when it accumulates in various mountain areas with wind and other factors affecting how it lies. A slab is a release of snow of a particular type that slides down the mountain as an avalanche, causing potential damage and loss of life. There are different types of slabs, depending on snow type and wind conditions. Heavy snows can lead to wind slabs, deep slabs, hard slabs and soft slabs, among others. These slabs lead to avalanches. When an avalanche occurs on a ski slope it may seem like no one is affected but they have been known not only to cause death and property damage, but also to block roadways and prevent people from getting into or out of an area.

 To start with you generally have snow-pack underneath a layer of snow. A snow-pack is a layer of accumulated winter snowfall. Snow-packs build up slowly over time and prevent snow from falling down the mountain. When this snow-pack weakens however, it can allow the buildup of snow to release, causing an avalanche. Small avalanches are generally made up of ice, snow and air, while larger ones may include trees, rocks, debris, or mud resting on the slopes that it picked up on the way down. Winter is the typical season for avalanches, but rain and sleet are responsible for triggering avalanches in the summer and during monsoon season.

 A loose snow avalanche is common on steep slopes after a fresh snowfall. The snow hasn't had time to settle, or has been made loose by sunlight, and the snow-pack is not very solid. These avalanches have a single point of origin which is where they begin to widen as they travel down the slope.

 Slab avalanches are when a large block of ice or snow breaks off and falls down the slope. There are soft slabs and hard slabs. A soft slab is one that is less than thirty percent water weight and is generally composed of new snow. Hard slabs are usually old, denser layers of snow or very wind-hardened new snow. Soft slabs are loose and powdery, while hard slab debris contains chunks of hard snow. A soft slab is apt to break at a person's feet, while a hard slab most commonly breaks above the person, making them more dangerous and harder to escape from. Slab avalanches often cause fatalities.

 A powder snow avalanche is a combination of loose snow and slab. The bottom half is generally a slab with dense snow, ice and air, and an upper layer of powdered snow which can snowball into a larger avalanche as it rolls down the slope. Speeds of such avalanches can reach 190 miles per hour, and they can cover large distances.

 Wet snow avalanches are caused by wet snow and these are slow moving due to the friction between the wet heavy snow and the mountain. They collect debris quite easily and can pick up speed with ease.

 Avalanches may be triggered by heavy snowfall. The first twenty-four hours after a storm are the most critical. Heavy snowfall also deposits snow in unstable areas putting pressure on the snow-pack. Precipitation during the summer months often leads to wet snow avalanches, some of the most dangerous type of avalanches.

 Like anything else, humans can be at fault as well. Winter sports can put pressure on a snow-pack that can't handle the increased pressure. Deforestation and soil erosion give the snow little stability in the winter, and the vibrations from ATVs and snowmobiles can cause vibrations that the snow cannot withstand. It is one of the quickest ways to cause an avalanche. Likewise, construction where explosives are being used can also trigger an avalanche.

 The steeper the slope, the faster the snow can travel down the slope. Snow already on a mountain may have turned to ice, and new snow on top can loosen it from its bond with the ground. Likewise, warmer temperatures for a few days may weaken some of the layers of snow and start them on a swift downhill path.

 Impact

 Avalanches can cause loss of life to those who enjoy winter sports such as skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling if participants get caught unprotected in the midst of the disaster. . Roughly forty-five individuals die each year in North America due to avalanches. Even with emergency beacons, not everyone is well practiced with them which may cause lost time in finding survivors. Also, one quarter of those caught in an avalanche die from hitting trees or rocks on the way down. The deadliest avalanche occurred in 1970 in Peru and was triggered by an offshore earthquake. The northern walls of Mount Huascaran were destabilized, sending a chunk of ice and snow 910 meters (995 miles) wide and 1.6 kilometers (.99 miles) long down the mountain at speeds of 280 to 335 kilometers (173 to 208) per hour. Everything in its path was destroyed, and 20,000 lives were lost.

 Avalanches can block roads making them impassable and delaying rescue for those under the snow; an avalanche in 2015 killed at least 124 people in Afghanistan, felling trees across roads, pulling down power lines and damaging buildings. Avalanches also affect tourism; an avalanche in 2014 in Nepal killed 13 Sherpas and the remaining Sherpas threatened to quit for the season, putting tourism dollars at risk for the entire area. In 2012 Everest climbers paid the Nepalese government $3.3 million in fees, and millions more for hotels and other services during their extended visits. Ski resorts and other businesses can be shut down until roads are clear and access available again. An avalanche may also trigger a flash flood, adding its debris to rivers and streams with the ice and snow melting and increasing water volume.

 Property damage, business interruption, and loss of rental value are all claims that may be made following an avalanche, including medical and life insurance claims. As always flooding is excluded from any property damage policy, so unless the flooded insured had a flood policy, there is no coverage. This shows that one does not have to live near the beach in order to be exposed to flood hazards. Damage from weight of ice or snow is generally covered.

 An avalanche or related landslide is going to bring up the issue of collapse. If the dwelling collapses there is coverage. However remember a collapse is defined as an abrupt falling down or caving in of a building or any part of a building with the result that the building or that part cannot be occupied for its intended use. If the kitchen collapses there is coverage; if the kitchen wall is bulging, or sagging, or in danger of falling down, it is not covered. It is key with collapse that the building or part actually fall down or cave in. Being close to falling in is not a collapse. Likewise the collapse must be caused by specific named perils; collapse is not open perils coverage. Covered perils are coverage C perils, decay hidden from view, hidden insect or vermin damage, weight of contents, equipment, animals or people, weight of rain collecting on the roof, or use of defective construction materials if the collapse occurs during construction.

 The damage to personal property in a premises caused by the weight of ice, snow, or sleet is generally covered. Of note is that when the peril is windstorm or hail, loss to property inside the dwelling caused by rain, snow, sleet, sand or dust is not covered unless the direct force of wind or hail has caused an opening in the roof or wall and the weather enters through that hole. For example, in a blizzard with howling winds, snow is blown in through poorly insulated windows; the wind did not create an opening, just took advantage of existing space and filled the room with snow; there is no coverage. However if an avalanche comes down the mountain pushing in a wall damaging contents but not collapsing the building, damage to the contents is covered.