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Are You Ready? |
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Are You
Ready?
What to expect and what
you can do in the event of an earthquake.
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(February 3, 2007) This article is being
published following the recent tremor activity on
southern Vancouver Island that was widely reported
as a warning of the possibility of further
earthquake activity)
British Columbia experiences over 1,200
earthquakes a year, 300 of which occur in the
lower mainland on Vancouver Island. Almost
all of these earthquakes are too small to be
felt. However, a stronger earthquake could occur
at any time. It may happen during the day or at
night, on a weekend or a workday, in any season
and in any weather condition.
British Columbia is vulnerable to two types of
earthquakes: those occurring within the earth’s
crustal plates and those occurring at the
interface between crustal plates.
Earthquakes that originate within a plate are
seldom greater than magnitude 7.5 and typically
shake for less than one minute. In contrast,
earthquakes that originate between plates are
usually larger than magnitude 8.0 and the
shaking may last as long as 3 or 4 minutes.
British Columbia is vulnerable to the largest
type of earthquake called a “subduction” quake,
which occurs between two plates. The Cascadia
Subduction Zone is located approximately 100
kilometres west of Vancouver Island
earthquakes here recur every 550 years on
average. The range of recurrence, however,
varies from 200 years to 900 years. The last
subduction earthquake was in January 1700 – 304
years ago.
The most powerful earthquake ever recorded in
Canada is a magnitude 8.1 earthquake in the
Queen Charlotte Islands--and the largest
earthquake likely to have occurred in Canada is
the 1700 Cascadia Earthquake with an estimated
magnitude of 9.0.
What’s the largest earthquake
possible?
The largest earthquakes recorded on earth are
subduction earthquakes-- measuring magnitude 9.5
off the coast of Chile in 1960 and magnitude 9.2
in Alaska in 1964.
Generally the size of an earthquake is
controlled by the length of the faults on which
they occur. The longer the fault--the stronger
the potential earthquake. Currently, there are
no known faults capable of generating a
magnitude 10.0 or larger earthquake.
What can I expect during an
earthquake?
Hear: Sometimes you’ll hear a bang or rumble
before the earth starts shaking--at other times
there is no discernable sound to alert you.
During the earthquake, it can be quite noisy as
buildings shake and objects move around and bang
into one another.
Feel: Often you’ll feel a slight shaking or
rumbling to begin with, like the feeling of a
truck going by. This may suddenly increase or
dissipate within seconds.
Take these few seconds to “Drop, Cover and
Hold”…Drop under some heavy furniture or into an
alcove, Cover your head and torso as best you
can to prevent being hit by falling objects and
Hold onto the object covering you so that you
remain covered.
See: Pets may act strange or restless before an
earthquake. During a stronger earthquake, you
may see trees and buildings shaking--and
possibly some damage like falling bricks, signs
or windows. You may even see waves moving across
the ground. Very strong earthquakes are likely
to cause damage to infrastructure, roads,
buildings and utilities.
Smell: You may smell gas, sewage, or smoke from
fires igniting following the earthquake.
Do I know how to protect myself
during an earthquake?
Know in advance where the safest spots are at
home, at work or at school, so you can go to one
of these places as soon as you feel a quake.
-
Indoors, the safest places are beneath sturdy
furniture, beside a solid inside wall, or inside
an inner hallway.
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Avoid windows. Stay away from heavy objects that
can fall from ceilings, shelves and cupboards,
or top-heavy furniture that could tip over.
Never use an elevator.
-
If you're outdoors, stay in the open, away from
trees, buildings and power lines.
-
You could be driving when a quake hits. Stop
your car away from overpasses, bridges and power
lines and stay inside your vehicle.
-
Once you're in a safe place protect your head
and hold on until all motion stops. Lock your
wheels if in a wheelchair.
-
All members of the family - especially children
- should know what to do when an earthquake
hits. A practice drill once a year is an
excellent safety measure.
What should I do when the motion
stops?
You or others may be injured. Treat yourself
first and then assist others.
If you smell gas, turn it off. Check for any
small fires. Turn off the main water tap if
necessary. Be aware of other possible hazards,
such as broken glass or weakened walls.
Check your phone and hang up the receiver if it is
off the hook. Don't use your phone unless it is a
life threatening emergency. Phone lines need to be
open for emergency responders.
If
you and your family are OK, check on your neighbours
to see if you can offer assistance.
You can also put
a large "OK" sign in your window to let emergency
workers know that they can concentrate on other
houses.
A
battery-operated radio or your car radio will link
you to the instructions of emergency workers and
news in your community.
Gather your emergency supplies together. Keep
everyone warm, well hydrated, well fed, and rested.
Do I
know how I'll contact family members if we're
separated when the earthquake strikes?
Part of your earthquake preparedness should be to
decide in advance on a meeting place. It could be
your home - or a place that's more central to the
places you and your family work or go to school in
case the earthquake strikes during a workday.
Agree on one out-of-area person that everyone will
phone to report they are safe. Get every family
member in the habit of carrying identification,
medical alert information and emergency phone money
and numbers at all times.
If
you live alone or need extra assistance because of a
disability, make arrangements in advance for someone
living nearby to check in with you if there is an
earthquake. Keep a whistle on hand for signalling.
Do I
have emergency survival kits in my home, car and
work place?
Everyone should be prepared to be self-sufficient
for 72 hours following an emergency like an
earthquake.
Important items to have in emergency kits include:
three days of food and water per person, money, a
battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries,
candles, waterproof matches, first-aid supplies,
extra prescription medications, personal toiletries,
cooking utensils, blankets or sleeping bags and
extra clothing.
Have
I taken measures to make my home safer and protect
my property from a possible earthquake?
There are a number of ways to prevent or reduce
injuries and damage.
Install latches on cupboards, and secure water
tanks, top-heavy furniture, appliances or computers
and other items against movement.
Refer to emergency
preparedness manuals that are available in
bookstores and libraries.
For further information
on emergency planning visit the British Columbia
Provincial Emergency Program website at
www.pep.bc.ca
This article is reproduced courtesy
of PEP BC.
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