How is B.C. doing when it comes to earthquake and tsunami preparedness?
Folks along the West Coast, including B.C. residents, received quite the scare on Tuesday when a tsunami advisory was issued.
Following a magnitude 8.7 earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, folks along B.C.’s coast were warned to stay away from beaches and waterways by the provincial government.
Considering that British Columbia is located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, events like these are inevitable, which has us wondering about the level of preparedness B.C. has in place for a major tsunami event.
Thankfully, the BC Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, which is staffed 24/7, had some answers for us in the event of a major tsunami-related disaster.
“We know that the B.C. coast is at risk of tsunamis that could cause significant damage, and that’s why we continue to ensure that B.C. is prepared to respond to tsunamis and provide resources and support to reduce the severity of their impacts,” the ministry said.
Types of tsunami warnings
B.C. has various alert levels for tsunamis.
The highest alert level is a warning, which suggests a full evacuation due to potential flood waves.
Yesterday, we saw the second-highest degree of alert level, an advisory, which means strong currents are likely, with residents encouraged to stay away from the shore.
Under that is a watch, which means the danger level is not yet known and that residents should stay alert for more info. There’s also an information statement, which warns of minor waves at most. Finally, there’s a cancellation, which means that tidal gauges show no wave activity.
How you’ll be notified of an emergency
The ministry uses a few tools to notify folks of an emergency. One of those tools is the EmergencyInfoBC website, and also the @EmergencyInfoBC X account.
As we’ve reported on in the past, the Province can also issue “intrusive emergency alerts” for wildfires, floods, extreme heat and tsunamis.
“In the event of a tsunami warning, people in an affected area would receive an intrusive B.C. Emergency alert warning them of the risk via television, radio and compatible mobile devices. A tsunami warning is the highest level of alert. It means a tsunami wave is occurring or expected, and people are advised to evacuate,” the ministry said.
The resources the Province has put into tsunami preparedness
Since 2017, the Province has provided around $3 million in funding toward tsunami-related disaster mitigation and preparedness. There has been an additional $6 million in funding through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund for local governments and First Nations to aid in public notification and evacuation-route planning.
More recently, in February 2023, the Province announced ClimateReadyBC, which is a one-stop online hub to help communities prepare for disasters, including tsunamis.
“The hub includes hazard and mapping tools, data and resources such as funding programs available to communities to better understand and reduce the disaster risk,” the ministry added.
The Province also has a website dedicated to tsunami preparedness, which was updated earlier this spring.
“If you are near the coast when an earthquake occurs, Drop, Cover and Hold On. When the shaking stops, get to higher ground to protect yourself from a potential tsunami,” the website states.
Experts don’t believe we’re prepared enough
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In late 2024, after parts of B.C. experienced a quake, Daily Hive spoke to some experts about earthquake preparedness, and we learned that many don’t feel we’re prepared enough for a major earthquake, let alone a devastating tsunami.
While many improvements have been made since, including some of the resources mentioned above, a 2014 report from the BC Auditor General stated that B.C. was not prepared for the big one.
Some experts, like John Clague, an emeritus professor with the Department of Earth Sciences at SFU, don’t feel like we’re prepared enough for a big quake. According to a risk assessment from 2023, a significant quake in B.C. could cause $75 billion in financial losses.
“We have made progress in strengthening critical infrastructure to reduce damage from possible future earthquakes, but we have a long way to go,” Clague said in our chat last year.
Regardless of how prepared you believe the Province is, it might be a good time to build an emergency kit if you don’t already have one.