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En revanche, ils sont souvent le théâtre d'inondations et de coulées de débris. L'agglomération minière de Britannia, par exemple, a été dévastée par une crue soudaine le 28 octobre 1921. Celle-ci a été causée par un torrent catastrophique qui a détruit un remblai de voie ferrée retenant temporairement les eaux du ruisseau Britannia, après qu'un ponceau ait été bouché.
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Debris fans are favoured sites for development because they are less steep than adjacent mountainsides. However, the fans are prone to floods and debris flows. The mining community of Britannia, for example, was devastated by a sudden flood on October 28, 1921. This flood occurred when a blocked culvert caused a railway embankment to temporarily dam Britannia Creek and then fail, releasing a catastrophic flood. A series of debris flows in the 1980s swept across debris fans north of Horseshoe Bay, destroying bridges and homes and claiming 11 lives. Zoning regulations now restrict development on hazardous fans. Where existing development is threatened, it can be protected by dams or deflection barriers, and by deepening and lining stream channels. Over $15 million was spent on protective works along Highway 99 following the disasters of the 1980s.
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