Earthquake warning system that provides seconds of warning has been activated in British Columbia.

RICHMOND, British Columbia – For years, Metro Vancouver has been concerned about the threat of “The Big One,” a massive earthquake that is expected to one day hit coastal British Columbia. But before the quake finally strikes, residents may receive a valuable warning.

RICHMOND, British Columbia – For years, Metro Vancouver has been concerned about the threat posed by “The Big One,” a powerful earthquake that is expected to one day strike the British Columbia coast.

But before the hurricane finally arrives, residents may receive a valuable warning.

British Columbia's earthquake early detection system has been activated to provide the public and infrastructure managers with up to “tens of seconds” of notice before a potentially damaging earthquake occurs.

Federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said when a strong earthquake is detected, alerts will be automatically sent to British Columbians via cell phones, radio and television.

He said the system, jointly announced by the federal and British Columbia governments on Thursday, will also allow critical infrastructure managers to take immediate action such as preventing traffic from driving onto bridges or into tunnels.

“Every year in Canada, approximately 5,000 earthquakes are recorded,” Wilkinson said at a news conference in Richmond, British Columbia.

“Fortunately, most of these earthquakes are small and do not pose a serious threat, but large, destructive earthquakes are possible,” Wilkinson said, adding that the most damaging tremors in Canada could occur in western British Columbia, as well as in the Ottawa-Quebec City corridor.

British Columbia's Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Preparedness, Bowen Ma, said seismologists had been warning for decades that a major earthquake was imminent in the province, and that the new system could give “seconds, tens of seconds” of advance warning for people to “drop, cover and hold on.”

“These crucial seconds may not seem like much at the moment, but they will mean life and death to many people during a severe earthquake,” Ma said.

She said British Columbians have experienced more emergencies over the past few years than ever before, largely due to climate change.

“Earthquakes aren’t exactly a climate change-related risk, but combined with all the other climate-driven risks, it means British Columbians need to be more prepared than ever before,” Ma said.

The new earthquake warning system will allow every corner of the province to be “prepared and resilient,” she added.

British Columbia communities like Tofino, Port Alberni and Victoria are at high risk in the event of a major earthquake because of their proximity to the west coast, said Edwin Nissen, professor and Canada Research Chair in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria.

Places in Metro Vancouver's southern suburbs like Delta and Surrey are also likely to “shake like jelly” when hit by a seismic wave, so having the early warning system in place is a “very exciting development,” Nissen said.

But Nissen said it's also important to note that earthquake early warning systems are only part of emergency response, and that people still need to prepare their toolkit.

He added that early warning will not prevent buildings from being damaged, so the governorate still needs stronger buildings.

“We need to retrofit older buildings, especially schools, hospitals, the British Columbia Parliament, the Crystal Pool here in Victoria,” Nissen said. “There are a lot of older buildings that are definitely vulnerable to earthquakes, and the government will continue to retrofit those buildings.”

The new system is part of the federal government's $36 million plan to develop a warning system to protect earthquake-prone areas.

Wilkinson said the system will be expanded later this year to include southern Quebec and eastern Ontario.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.

Canadian Press

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos