In The News

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

UBC expert helps B.C. prepare for an earthquake

October 15 is officially ShakeOut BC Day, and more than 750,000 British Columbians are expected to participate in this year’s drill. In this Q&A, UBC earthquake safety expert Carlos Ventura talks about the nature of earthquakes and what’s being done to ensure that the buildings where we live, study and work are earthquake-ready.

There’s a lot of talk about B.C. being overdue for the Big One: an earthquake of 9.0 magnitude or greater. Is the province ready for a major quake?

It’s important to understand that it’s not only the magnitude of the earthquake that determines its impact. Smaller earthquakes, if they occur near urban areas, can cause significant damage.

That said, the province is more prepared for an earthquake in the sense that government, scientists, educators, and the news media have been actively spreading safety awareness.

Everyone should know the drill by heart: drop, cover and hold on. Recognize quickly that it is an earthquake and don’t panic. Hide under a sturdy table or desk, or crouch near an inside corner of the building. Stay there until the shaking stops. Many earthquake-related injuries in North America are due to falling objects, not buildings collapsing. Once the shaking has stopped, leave your house or building if you can do so safely, and grab your emergency kit if you have one.

How important are emergency kits? What’s in yours?

Because an earthquake can affect a wide region, you could lose power, water, heat and food for a period of time. An emergency kit will help you stay warm and treat minor injuries.

My survival kit at home and in the office contains water, dried food, a blanket, a hand radio, and some simple medical supplies. Some people think of their camping gear as a survival kit.

There’s concern that not all B.C. schools are earthquake-ready.

Vancouver has made great strides, but for a number of reasons, a significant number of school buildings in the city are still in the high-risk category. However, many school districts outside Vancouver have done or are completing their seismic upgrades. Earthquake shelters have also been identified in many schools, such as gyms or other large spaces that are designed to perform very well and stay operational during an earthquake.

For new buildings, seismic readiness is not as big an issue because they are designed to comply with building standards, which specify the amount of shaking that a building must be able to withstand. But most of the older buildings, especially those built before the 1970s, need to be retrofitted to become compliant.

You say it’s impossible to accurately predict when an earthquake will happen. Does B.C. have an early warning system at least?

Yes. At the Earthquake Engineering Research Facility at UBC, we’re working on an early warning system consisting of sensors installed at many different locations to detect and measure the different waves generated by an earthquake: the P (primary) waves, the S (secondary) waves and the surface waves, which are more damaging.

Depending on the waves’ characteristics, the system will generate an alarm, and people will have a few seconds or almost a minute to take shelter, depending on their distance from the epicentre of the earthquake. A few seconds’ warning could be enough to save your life.

This early warning system was tested in a pilot project with Vancouver’s Catholic schools and is currently being rolled out across the Lower Mainland. Eventually we hope to add Vancouver Island into this warning system as well.

We’re also working with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to install sensors near highways and other public structures. The more sensors there are, the more warning we’ll get and the safer we’ll be. Imagine being able to shut down trains quickly during an earthquake, postpone surgery, or stop machinery. An early warning system will allow us to do that and minimize damage.

UBC, the City of Vancouver, and the Vancouver Public Library are holding Earthquake Day on October 15 to raise earthquake awareness. This community outreach event complements ShakeOut BC Day and is one of UBC’s many Centennial initiatives.