Although the sirens didn’t go off and evacuations weren’t made, a massive earthquake that struck the north Pacific Tuesday had Vancouver Island’s coastal communities on alert.
At 4:24 P.M. Pacific time on July 29 an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck under the ocean floor of the north Pacific Ocean, occurring 136 kilometres southeast of Petropavlovsk in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula. This was one of the most powerful earthquakes every recorded, causing almost two million people to be evacuated from coastal areas of Japan, while four-metre waves were reported at the port of the Russian town of Severo-Kurilsk.
Alerts were soon issued across the Pacific, including a tsunami advisory for the B.C. coast that came at approximately 6:30 p.m. Waves one foot above normal levels were expected to hit the west coast of Vancouver Island by 11:30 p.m., which was half an hour after low tide in Tofino.
“Stay away from coastal areas, harbours and marinas,” cautioned Emergency Info BC. “Do not go to the shore to observe the waves.”
A tsunami advisory is the second highest alert in the province, warning people to stay out of the water and away from the shore. The next level is a tsunami warning, which urges people to get to high ground immediately.
By late afternoon after the earthquake the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation began issuing video messages for its members through social media.
“We’ve evacuated the beach,” said Chief Councillor Elmer Frank, who delivered the message from the First Nation’s community next to Tofino. “We’re working with Parks Canada to do the same thing over there.”
Although no evacuations were ordered, members were advised to pack four bottles of water each and any necessary medications.
“We’re asking you to pack an evacuation bag,” said Frank. “Make sure you take a blanket, make sure you take some snacks, take some drinks.”
Residents of the Hesquiaht village of Hot Springs Cove are well aware of the devastation a tsunami can bring, as a tidal wave destroyed several homes in the coastal community north of Tofino in 1964. That was the Good Friday Earthquake, a 9.2 magnitude event that struck off the coast of Alaska on March 27, 1964.
Generations later, preparing for a tsunami has become a regular part of life for the village of a few dozen people, says Hesquiaht Chief Councillor Mariah Charleson. After the advisory was issued on July 29 the First Nation worked to ensure Hot Springs Cove residents were accounted for and warned of the possible evacuation to the Hesquiaht Place of Learning up the hill.
“There was door-to-door knocking just to see if anybody needed anything,” said Charleson.
Rick Tom Sr. was ready to shut off power in the community if needed, while electricity at the dock was turned off.
“The dock was off limits for people,” said Charleson. “We wanted to ensure that the boats were secured and that the alarm system was working in the case that people would have to go to higher ground.”
By 6:34 a.m. on July 30 the tsunami advisory was cancelled.
The last tsunami warning on the B.C. coast came Jan. 23, 2018, after an early-morning 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska’s Kodiak Island. This prompted evacuations across the West Coast, including parts of Port Alberni, although no significant damage or injuries were reported.
