Complacency is hard to shake as we live our busy lives from day to day, sheltered from major catastrophes that rock other areas of the planet. Fortunately, an annual event helps us not take our safe and secure region for granted.
This year’s Great British Columbia ShakeOut takes place at 10:18 am on Thursday, October 18. Already, over 4,000 Powell River residents have registered to participate. At that time, people will drop to the floor, find some cover and hold on, practicing what to do in the event of an earthquake. The drill is also an excellent reminder that we live in an earthquake-prone area.
Earthquakes caused by the slipping of the Cascadia plate, off the west coast of Vancouver Island, occur every 200 to 800 years. We are now in the 400-year era. If there were an 8.0 on the Richter scale or greater earthquake on the Cascadia plate, experts predict significant damage as far away as Calgary.
We learned this week from Ryan Thoms, coordinator of the Powell River Regional Emergency Program, that an earthquake doesn’t have to be the big one to cause damage. Thoms has researched an earthquake measuring 7.3 that occurred in 1946. It was centred in the Forbidden Plateau area on Vancouver Island, but its effects were felt in Powell River, as well as on the island and as far north as Prince Rupert and as far south as Portland, Oregon.
What Thoms discovered should serve as a lesson for all of us. More than 300 landslides followed the shaking and some of those caused small, localized tsunamis. There were reports of soil liquefaction, a phenomenon that turns the ground into quicksand.
In Powell River back in 1946, about 60 chimneys fell, and numerous windows, china cabinets and mirrors were damaged. There was a power outage and phone service was disabled. If a quake of that size struck today, it would cause much more damage, because of the larger population and more extensive infrastructure network.
Being prepared in the event of an earthquake could mean the difference between living and dying. Because of Powell River’s isolation, in a widespread emergency, outside help could be days away. That’s why experts recommend families should have enough resources for at least 72 hours.
Three simple steps can help prepare for all types of emergencies: know the risks in your region; have an emergency kit; and know and practice your emergency plan.
We all like to believe it can’t happen here, but history tells us differently.
