Tsunami warnings rang out in the early hours along coastal British Columbia this morning, alerting people to get to higher ground in the wake of an earthquake off the coast of Alaska.
The province is now reviewing the emergency preparedness and what happened after the warnings were lifted two hours later.
Measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, the quake struck at 1:31 am Pacific Time, triggering the tsunami warning system for the British Columbia coastline, and a tsunami watch for the entire U.S. West Coast.
Tofino, B.C. reception centre where people gathered early this morning. (Catherine Lempke/Twitter) CBC
Mike Farnworth, the minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General for the province, is pleased with the emergency response.
“Whether it was in Esquimalt where we saw firefighters and first responders going door to door, or… Queen Charlotte City which was fully evacuated, or the sirens in Tofino and Ucluelet, and people going to their local emergency centres, people responded admirably and I think the emergency services did a remarkable job,” he told CBC News.
People have been reminded to ensure they have a 72-hour water supply, and not to call the 911 emergency line.
CBC seismologist Johanna Wagstaffe tweeted the following explanation:
Luckily, most of the displacement on the ocean floor was horizontal, not vertical..one of the reasons we didn't get a large damaging tsunami. But this was the best kind of test for BC emergency officials… and for all of us to know what to do next time. Get your kits/plan ready
— Johanna Wagstaffe (@JWagstaffe) January 23, 2018
(With files from CBC, AP and Reuters)
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