Today at 10:17 a.m., nearly a million British Columbians are expected to hit the floor, dive under a table and hold on.
The drill for ShakeOutBC could save your life and those in your home, school and workplace in the event of a high-magnitude earthquake, say organizers.
Southwestern B.C. is one of the most seismically active regions in Canada with more than 400 earthquakes a year; 10 have already been recorded since Oct. 1.
Only a handful are felt, but two shakers over the past three weeks — both below 4.0 in magnitude and centred near Tsawwassen and Sidney — were enough to rattle some china and wake people and pets from their slumbers on the South Island.
“They were a good reminder that we live in an earthquake zone, and we’ve got to be ready for something bigger,” said John Cassidy, a Victoria-based seismologist for Natural Resources Canada.
Jeri Grant, emergency co-ordinator for the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area and co-chair of ShakeOutBC, said those “felt quakes” are important because they should a trigger the “muscle memory” to drop, cover and hold on.
Grant said too often, people are so surprised by their bed rattling or the rumbling sound, they don’t do anything. “Those are the opportunities when we should be exercising the drill, and it’s a time when we should be thinking about an overall plan and our emergency kits,” she said.
The drop, cover and hold on drill may not always be applicable. If you’re driving, for example, you should pull over away from power lines and other structures that can topple, if possible. If it happens at night, experts say to cover your head with a pillow and have a few key items nearby.
Cassidy said people should keep shoes and a headlamp near their beds, and Grant said to add a facial mask, because if a big one strikes, glass will break and dust from attics will come pouring in.
ShakeOutBC provides a wealth of information (shakeoutbc.ca) about preparing yourself and your home in the event of an earthquake.
Cassidy said there are three types of earthquakes that occur in subduction zones in southwestern B.C. Crustal quakes have the potential to be the most damaging because they are closest to the Earth’s surface, he said.
A 7.3-magnitude quake centred at Forbidden Plateau west of Courtenay in 1946 remains Canada’s largest recorded onshore earthquake. It caused numerous landslides and ripped apart roads, shifted buildings and knocked down brick chimneys from Courtenay to Victoria and Vancouver.
Two people died, one from drowning when a boat was capsized by an earthquake-generated wave and another from a heart attack in Seattle.
Another crustal quake in 1918, measured at 7.0 magnitude, was centred near Tofino. It also triggered landslides, but caused little structural damage, other than taking Estevan Point Lighthouse out of commission until repairs were made, said Cassidy.
Juan de Fuca Plate earthquakes stretching from the middle of the Strait of Georgia to southern Puget Sound have been the most frequent in the region. A 6.8-magnitude quake with its epicentre near Olympia shook Seattle in 2001, causing major damage, and was felt in Greater Victoria, where it caused minor damage.
Earthquakes that occur along the boundary between the North American Plate and the subducting Juan de Fuca Plate are called megathrust quakes, because they can be up to magnitude 9 and cause large tsunamis. They occur every 200 to 800 years, with the last in 1700.
Cassidy said the Canadian Earthquake Early Warning system has been active for a month and could be a life-saving technology. Triggered by earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0 and larger, the system will send alerts through the National Public Alerting System to television, radio and individual cellphones.
The system detects an earthquake immediately after it occurs, then issues an alert that — depending on the location — can give seconds to tens of seconds of warning before strong shaking starts and damage starts.
Cassidy said if the 1946 earthquake near Forbidden Plateau happened today, the system would give Victorians up to 50 seconds of warning to take cover.
Grant said the system would also trigger fire department doors to open, road tunnels and bridges to be closed, surgeries to be stopped at hospitals, passenger trains to halt and flights to be diverted from landing at airports.
Grant noted that something “as innocent as a book” can become a projectile in an earthquake, so earthquake-proofing at home is key. “Those heavy things like bookcases will fall.”
In the event of a 9.0 quake, water and sewer lines could also be destroyed, which could make an emergency supply of water and hygiene wipes critical.
“What people have to realize is that everyone is in the same earthquake and you have to look after yourself and your family for possibly an extended period of time,” said Grant. “The roads may be damaged and first responders may not even be able to get in to work to help you. “You really have to be prepared for everything and that’s where your earthquake kits come in.”
Grant said registration for ShakeOutBC has climbed each year since its inception in 2011 — though it did dip during the pandemic, when many schools and businesses were closed. What’s remarkable about this year’s event, she said, is the thousands of individuals who have registered and promised to do drills today. “It’s mandatory in schools and lots of businesses and governments opt in to take part, which is great, but to see so many individuals register, that tells me that people are taking their personal safety very, very seriously,” said Grant.
For more information, see the province’s guide on preparing for an earthquake at https://tinyurl.com/ycyzpstw.
