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New earthquake technology could have forewarned 2001 Nisqually shaker

It’s been 15 years, but Victoria’s John Cassidy still clearly remembers the shaking he felt from a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Washington State.

“Yeah I was actually at home sick that day so I was at home and everything just really started rattling and shaking and it was … the strongest shaking I’d ever experienced,” said the Natural Resources Canada seismologist based in Victoria B.C..

On Feb. 28, 2001, the quake, called the Nisqually earthquake, centred near Olympia, Wash. about 150 km southeast of Victoria, was felt across southwestern B.C., from northern Vancouver Island to the Okanagan.

While there was only minor damage in Victoria and Vancouver, Cassidy says it caused $1 billion worth of damage in the Seattle area along with numerous injuries.

Cassidy along with his colleagues studying earthquakes with the federal government are marking the anniversary of the quake by reflecting on how far technology has come in the study of seismic events, including one that can forewarn violent shaking from an earthquake when it begins.

“So if you’re far enough away from a large earthquake, there is the opportunity to have some warning time, in some cases five second, ten seconds, maybe a few minutes warning based on the travel time of the waves,” said Cassidy.

While he concedes that doesn’t sound like much, it could be enough time for someone to dive under a desk, move away from a window or even have automated systems open the doors to firehalls or warn surgeons to put down their scalpels.

Earthquake science still ‘young’

Cassidy says earthquakes like Nisqually and a similar, less powerful one that occurred on Dec. 29, 2015 near Sidney B.C., but was also felt across the South Coast, create opportunities for scientists to learn from the new monitoring devices now in place.

“We have many more instruments on the ground now. We have more precise locations. We can actually map the ocean plate, where those deep earthquakes are occurring,” he said. “So our understanding of how ground shaking varies with distance from an earthquake has moved forward.”

Scientists also have new tools like global positioning systems, which show earth movements every hour of every day, along with the ability to image the sea floor to look for faults.

“There’s a lot going on,” said Cassidy adding that earthquake science remains “very young,” as data is still missing from earthquakes which occurred thousands of years ago and there are faults which haven’t been discovered yet.

Still, despite the doom and gloom of a big one coming to the Pacific Northwest, there is optimism that the science that now exists can be used to better protect people living here.

“All of this new information feeds into our building codes, into our bridge codes, our dam codes and this information is being used to protect us from future earthquakes,” he said. “And one of the best ways to protect ourselves from future earthquakes is through the earthquake science, the earthquake engineering.”

Cassidy also celebrated the awareness being done in schools and by cities to inform residents about what to do when the shaking starts,

“It will make a difference when the next earthquake hits this region, so if people know what to do before an earthquake, during and after an earthquake, that will save lives, and that will make a huge difference in minimizing those future impacts.”

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/newest-earthquake-technology-could-have-forewarned-2001-nisqually-shaker-1.3467001

128 B.C. school upgrades still awaiting seismic upgrades

While officials agree Tuesday night’s earthquake is a “perfect example” of why B.C. needs to upgrade schools still at high risk of structural collapse, there is still a lot of finger-pointing about the delays getting it done.

According to the Ministry of Education, a total of 342 schools still require seismic upgrades. Over the past decade, the provincial government put in place plans worth $2.2 billion to upgrade or replace 214.

But that still leaves 128 B.C. schools a high risk of collapse during an earthquake, with no plan in place to upgrade or replace them.

According to Education Minister Mike Bernier, in some cases the delays getting the work underway rest with the school districts.

“I think this earthquake is a perfect example and a wake-up call of why we don’t want to be waiting any longer,” said Bernier on Thursday morning.

“It’s one of the top priorities that I have within my mandate to continue to work with the school districts. The funding is there.

“Of course, the timing of that can only go as fast, and as quickly, and as efficiently as the school boards themselves work with us to make sure those priorities are delivered,” Bernier said.

VSB chair says the money isn’t there

But according to Vancouver School Board Chair Mike Lombardi it’s the ministry that is responsible for the delays stopping the upgrades from getting done.

There are 68 high-risk schools in Vancouver alone with no plan in place, and 21 of those are rated by the province at H1, the highest of the three levels of high risk, in the ratings system used by the province.

“We’ve done our preliminary work, but there’s been no approval at the ministry level,” said Lombardi this week.

“We want to get the job done,” Lombardi said. “What we need is the government to step up to the table, live up to their commitment and sign those project agreements so we can start doing the work.”

The fight over who is to blame for the delays has been going on for some time. Earlier this year, then-education minister Peter Fassbender denied media reports the province had pushed back the timetable for seismic upgrades by as many as ten years, to 2030.

Then just before Christmas the Vancouver School Board asked the province to extend the district’s seismic plan deadline from the end of January until June 16, 2016, so that the board could have more time to consult with parents and other stakeholders.

But that plan was rejected by the province.

“I actually denied that plan and said that that was unacceptable,” Bernier said.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mike-bernier-4-8-earthquake-1.3385593

Earthquake detectors gave UBC researcher heads-up on quake

When Tuesday night’s 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, Kent Johansen was working late in his home laboratory in Burnaby.

He heard an alarm go off. An earthquake was coming.

And for a man working with UBC’s Earthquake Engineering Research Facility on earthquake detection, that was good news — it meant the system worked.

“I’m thinking, this is serious: this is a real one,” he told On The Coast guest host Laura Lynch about the moment he saw the alarm.

“I went upstairs and got my seven-year-old daughter Freya, we got underneath the table in the living room, and I was devastated. I wanted to see all the data roll by!”

Thirteen seconds after Johansen got the warning, the quake hit.

Warnings can reduce casualties by half

Alarms powered by the UBC earthquake detectors have been placed in 61 schools on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, and more schools are planned to receive them.

If classes had been in session, students would have heard a loud siren before the quake hit. Schools in Victoria would have gotten about six seconds of warning before the quake hit, and Lower Mainland schools would have received 13 to 16 seconds.

While that might not seem like a lot of time, Johansen said that even a warning of three to four seconds can halve the number of casualties from an earthquake.

Johansen said he is happy with the way the system works, but hopes this quake gets British Columbians thinking about preparing for “the big one” in a more serious way.

“We don’t have a lot of the good ‘training’ earthquakes here in Vancouver, and that’s probably why we take the big one that’s lurking with such nonchalant distance,” he said.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/earthquake-detector-vancouver-victoria-1.3385281

Preparing for an earthquake: before, during and after

If an earthquake were to hit, would you know where to hide and what to do after?

B.C.’s South Coast was hit by what seismologists are calling one of the largest earthquakes in the region in years.

Before an earthquake hits

1. Have an emergency kit ready to go

Make sure you have an emergency kit near the door you’re most likely to exit, and keep it free from clutter. Rene Bernstein, marketing director for St.John Ambulance, BC & Yukon recommends keeping a kit in your car and at work as well.

The kit should hold you over for at least 72 hours and should include food, water, first aid supplies, flashlights, medication, a radio, contact lists, comfort items for children, cash and other items.

You can put it together yourself of buy an earthquake emergency kit that is already fully stocked with all the essentials.

2. Have a disaster plan

Bernstein says having a family plan is crucial — designate a meeting place for your family and how to contact each other if you are separated and cell phones aren’t working.

Know how to evacuate, where to meet and who to call. Make sure each member of the family is prepared for a number of scenarios. The province’s emergency disaster response route can be found online.

Make a plan to get home from work if roads and bridges are closed to vehicles, and have appropriate footwear to change into at work, so you can walk.

3. Secure your heavy furniture

Bernstein recommends also preparing your home in the event an earthquake hits.

Bookcases, appliances, pianos, dressers and beds can all become dislodged and cause injury. These should be fixed to the wall.

4. Put breakable and heavy objects down low

Don’t load your top shelves with items that can shatter and cause injury.

“Most people get hurt with flying or falling debris,” cautions Bernstein.

She says the kitchen is often the most dangerous room in the house during an earthquake, thanks to heavy appliances, breakable items, and sharp objects.

5. Reduce the risk from glass

Windows, mirrors and picture frames can shatter during an earthquake. Reduce your risk by securing pictures and mirrors to walls, and keeping beds and tables away from windows.

If that’s not possible, consider heavy drapes in high-risk areas, or a special film for glass.

6. Prepare your children

Parents’ instinct will be to run to children as soon as disaster strikes. However, if you are in separate rooms, it may be safer for each family member to take immediate shelter (for example, under a sturdy table).

Bernstein suggests teaching younger children a song to sing during the shaking so you know they are safe.

Make sure your children are aware of safe zones and how long to stay put (at least 60 seconds after shaking has stopped).

Children’s kits should also include items such as toys and family photographs to comfort them while they are out of the home.

7. Prepare for pets

Make a plan for food and medication for pets, as they are often over-looked in emergency planning.

8. Find your gas valve

Know where gas outlets are and how to turn them off.

During an earthquake

If you are indoors, stay indoors — do not run outside during an earthquake. Stay away from windows as much as possible and quickly protect yourself, advises the City of Vancouver.

Dive under a sturdy table, drop to your knees, cover your head and neck and hold on to the table. Don’t get up for at least 60 seconds or until the shaking has stopped.

If there is no desk, crouch in an inside corner of a room, avoid standing in a doorway.

If you are outside, stay outside and move away from buildings, streetlights and utility wires.

If you are in a vehicle, stop and park in a clear location.

The City of Vancouver offers free emergency planning workshops and also provides them upon request from community groups and businesses.

After an earthquake

Aftershocks can occur minutes, hours or days after the earthquake.

The City of Vancouver suggests that after an earthquake to move immediately to a higher ground, smell for gas, check for injuries and for others. Call for help if need be, look out for fallen power lines, fire and damaged buildings.

Keep informed by tuning into the radio, television and stay informed by signing-up for Twitter alerts.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/earthquake-preparedness-1.3384278

B.C. earthquake wakes up Vancouver, Victoria-area residents

Quake, 4.3-4.8 in magnitude, centred 20 km north of Victoria at 11:39 p.m PT Tuesday but no damage reported.

B.C.’s South Coast was hit by an earthquake that shook many people from their sleep just before midnight, in what one seismologist called the largest quake in the region in years.

Some people near the epicentre northeast of Victoria reported their homes shifted, and others were knocked off their feet.

“The house moved seriously to the right, came back, it was loud. The aquarium had a mini-tsunami and overflowed. We were in the kitchen and got tossed into the counter,” wrote one commenter on the CBC website.

Others in Metro Vancouver reported windows rattling and items on walls shaking, while many in apartments reported feeling a large impact that felt like a truck hitting the building.

“I felt it in the West End here of Vancouver and I looked out my window to see if a truck had hit the side of my building! It was quite a sharp jolt that made my walls bend and creak, but nothing really shook or swayed,” wrote another commenter.

‘Pretty big shake’

There were varying reports about the magnitude of the quake that struck at 11:39 p.m. PT. Natural Resources Canada measured it at 4.3 ML, while the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported M 4.8.

The quake was centred about 19 kilometres north-northeast of Victoria. The seismic activity was reportedly 42 kilometres deep.

Earthquakes Canada says there have been no reports of significant damage, and “none would be expected.”

But many residents did report that cracks appeared in floors, ceilings and walls of homes.

Natural Resources Canada seismologist John Cassidy, who lives in Victoria, said he felt “a pretty big shake” for about 10 seconds.

“It’s the largest earthquake in this region in many years,” said Cassidy.

But he added: “Earthquakes are a lot more common around the world than we might think … it’s not really an unusual earthquake,” with about 1,000 similar “light to moderate” quakes felt globally every month.

He also said: “There is no pattern in this region for precursors to a larger earthquake, so this doesn’t really tell us anything about when a larger earthquake may occur in the future.

“But it’s very clearly is a good reminder of the seismicity in this region, that we live in a very active earthquake zone.”

Given the depth of Tuesday’s quake, he said it’s unlikely there would be any aftershocks, but if there were any, they would be light.

TransLink temporarily shut down the Millennium and Expo lines of the SkyTrain, but spokeswoman Anne Drennan said they, along with bus bridges, were reopened for one last run.

BC Hydro said the earthquake hasn’t impacted any transmission or distribution systems.

California quakes reported earlier

Several hours earlier, a 4.4 magnitude quake struck near San Bernardino, Calif.

The USGS said aftershocks of magnitude 3.8 and 3.2 came minutes later, and dozens of tiny aftershocks followed over the next few hours.

Cassidy says it’s unlikely the B.C. and California quakes were linked, as they’re part of different fault lines.

Reminder to be prepared

B.C. authorities and elected officials said although no significant damage had been reported in the province, the quake serves as a reminder to be prepared.

Essentials for large-scale disasters include:

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/earthquake-bc-south-coast-1.3384066

3.6 magnitude earthquake rattles Kamloops

Some residents of Kamloops, B.C., were woken up this morning by a 3.6 magnitude earthquake.

Natural Resources Canada says the quake happened at 1:48 a.m. PT Wednesday just west of the city.

Aleece Laird was asleep when the shaking began, and like others, she first assumed it was a train passing her home, but then realized the shaking was too strong.

“There was this jolt and it woke both my husband and I up, and in the classic move that moms make when you are having to stop in your car and you put your hand over your passenger, I did that to my husband, wanting to make sure that he did not fall out of bed.”

There have been no reports of damage.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/earthquake-kamloops-1.3367574

Earthquake in Northern B.C. caused by fracking, says regulator

British Columbia’s energy regulator has confirmed that a 4.6 magnitude earthquake in northeast B.C. in August of this year was caused by a nearby fracking operation.

“This seismic event was caused by hydraulic fracturing,” said Ken Paulson, CEO of the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission. Paulson said fewer than one per cent of fracking operations trigger seismic activity, and those quakes tend to be low magnitude and cause little damage.

The quake struck in August, about 110 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John, near a gas fracking site operated by Progress Energy.

Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” is a process that involves pumping a mixture of water, sand and chemicals underground at high pressure to fracture rock and release trapped natural gas.

Studies have linked fracking with earthquakes in the U.K., Oklahoma, and in B.C.

Largest fracking-related quake

The epicentre of the August quake was three kilometres from the Progress Energy fracking site. The operation shut temporarily immediately after the quake but soon restarted with continued monitoring.

Fracking operations have previously triggered small earthquakes in B.C. In the U.S., the disposal of frack waste has triggered larger quakes. But scientists said last summer that the 4.6 magnitude August quake may be the largest in the world caused by hydraulic fracturing.

No one was injured in the earthquake and there was no damage reported, but shaking could be felt for several kilometres.

Experts say it is unlikely any fracking-related earthquakes in the future will cause damage.

“This level of earthquake, although sounds scary, but in terms of the actual seismic damage, magnitude 4.6 is very unlikely to cause significant damage,” said Honn Kao, a research scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada.

In a written statement, Progress Energy says it takes the incident very seriously, and is closely monitoring seismic activity near its frack sites.

Meanwhile, B.C.’s energy regulator says it continues to closely monitor seismic activity and B.C.’s gas fields, and that it’s still business as usual.

Balance between development and public safety

Kao says there are existing industry protocols in place regarding fracking-caused earthquakes.

“We’ve already had a meeting together — workshop together with everybody to discuss the best practice protocol that’s currently in place.”

He says the regulator’s acknowledgement that this 4.6 earthquake was caused by fracking means those protocols can now be updated to better protect the public.

“The key issue really is if we have all the necessary practice protocol in place so that we can set the level to a certain acceptable risk. Then the community will feel much less afraid and therefore we can reach a very nice balanced approach between the development and the public safety.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/earthquake-northeastern-b-c-progress-energy-fracking-1.3367081

Record number of British Columbians participate in ShakeOut earthquake drill

A record number of British Columbians – 785,000 – took part in the Great British Columbia ShakeOut on Thursday, joining millions around the world, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) said.

“Since launching the Great British Columbia ShakeOut in 2011, we’ve seen participation jump from 470,000 to a new record of 785,000 in 2015,” said Dave Cockle, president of the BC Earthquake Alliance, in a press release. “I think that reflects an increased understanding of the earthquake risk in B.C. and the need to be prepared. We’re on our way to creating a culture of preparedness and making British Columbia a more resilient province.”

ShakeOutBC earthquake drills are held the third Thursday of every October. They encourage people at home, school and work to practice “Drop, Cover and Hold On” and consider the importance of overall preparedness to be better prepared to survive and recover quickly following an earthquake. Dropping to the ground prevents the earthquake from dropping a person first, while taking cover and holding on helps protect people from flying objects and falling debris, the IBC explained.

The more than 785,000 that registered for this year’s “Drop, Cover and Hold On” drill surpassed the 2014 total by more than 41,000, the IBC reported. Worldwide, nearly 41.5 million people have participated in Great ShakeOut drills to date in 2015.

Naomi Yamamoto, British Columbia’s Minister of State for Emergency Preparedness and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, along with representatives from the BC Earthquake Alliance, IBC and the City of Vancouver, helped mark the event by participating in the “Drop, Cover and Hold On” drill during Earthquake Day at the Vancouver Public Library.

Yamamoto said that the drill is the safest action to take during an earthquake. “Given that BC has thousands of earthquakes annually, The Great British Columbia ShakeOut serves as an important reminder that every British Columbian must be prepared to be self-sufficient during the initial days after an earthquake,” she said, adding that all provincial residents are encouraged to have an emergency plan and emergency kits prepared.

More than 3,000 earthquakes occur in B.C. every year. “Most are too small to be felt, but the risk of one capable of causing major damage is real,” the release said, adding that there is a one in 10 chance for a “destructive megathrust earthquake in B.C. within the next 50 years.”

Source: http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/record-number-of-british-columbians-participate-in-shakeout-earthquake-drill/1003849178/?&er=NA

Great BC ShakeOut drills, seismic upgrades move schools toward earthquake safety

Over a hundred schools have been rated as high risk by the ministry and require seismic upgrades.

As thousands of British Columbians practiced the “drop, cover and hold on” drill as part of the Great BC ShakeOut this morning, Kitsilano Secondary School moved one step closer to seismic safety.

The first stage of the school’s seismic upgrades was completed today with the official opening of a new wing. It is all part of the provincial government’s $57.8 million seismic upgrades for the school.

The school has been a high priority for seismic upgrades for years, but there was much desire to maintain the school’s heritage facade.

“We are committed to upgrading everything that needs seismic upgrades,” said Mike Bernier, Minister of Education.

There are five other schools currently undergoing seismic upgrades in the province.

But there are over a hundred schools have been rated as high risk by the ministry because they are deemed vulnerable to damage and structural failure during an earthquake.

The government says money isn’t the issue when it comes to upgrading the other schools.

“It is now at the planning stage. It is working with the school districts,” said Bernier.

The provincial government has earmarked $500 million for seismic upgrades to 45 schools.

Practice run

The announcement comes as more than 780,000 British Columbians practiced how to “drop, cover and hold on,” as part of the Great BC ShakeOut on Thursday morning.

The drill is designed to raise earthquake preparedness because of the risk a major earthquake could strike the province at any time.

“In the last 30 days in British Columbia, we’ve had almost 400 small earthquakes. We have to be aware that this is happening on a daily basis and it really could be at any time that we experience this,” said Miranda Myles, volunteer with ShakeOut.

Organizers say during an earthquake you should:

DROP to the ground in simulation of a major earthquake;
Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and
HOLD ON to it for 60 seconds

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/school-seismic-shakeout-1.3272746