Colwood, B.C., hosts hike to prepare residents for potential tsunami
In Colwood, B.C., there are 35 residential homes in the tsunami inundation zone.
“Most of them are single-family homes just over by the lagoon across the way there,” said Josh Pettigrew, emergency program coordinator with the City of Colwood.
Pettigrew says those homes would be in immediate risk if a tsunami was to hit southern Vancouver Island.
“We have to try to make sure we educate those folks and prepare them as a city to where they need to go and what they need to watch for,” said Pettigrew.
On Friday, Royal Roads University was ground zero for an informational exercise on how far one would have to travel to higher ground to stay safe if a tsunami was on its way – experts say at least 30 metres above sea level.
“There are a couple of natural tsunami warning signs,” said Rachel Schoeler, public education officer with the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.
Schoeler says if you see a sudden rise or fall of the ocean, or hear an unexplained rumble at sea, head to higher ground.
“If you’re near the coast and you experience an earthquake, you will drop, cover and hold on and then once the shaking stops, you’ll head to higher ground,” said Schoeler.
She says there are three steps to being properly prepared in the case of a tsunami. “Knowing your hazards, making your plan and gathering your supplies."
Know what types of emergencies you need to be prepared for. Have a playbook for the actions you are going to taken and have an emergency kit and a grab and go bag ready in case that emergency happens.
Pettigrew urges residents to download the Westshore Alert app through the City of Colwood’s website. It will alert residents to an earthquake as well as if a tsunami warning has been issued.
“Within the last 48 hours, we had small earthquakes off of Port Alice and Port Hardy,” said Pettigrew
It's a common occurrence in this part of the world. Knowing the big one could happen at anytime, Colwood is preparing its residents, especially those living in the tsunami inundation zone.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
As storms moves across Texas, 1 child dies after being swept away in floodwaters
A child in Texas died Sunday after being swept away in floodwaters as storms swept across the state.