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
BREAKING NEWS Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race, endorses Kamala Harris to be Democratic nominee
U.S. President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for re-election after a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about the incumbent's fitness for office with the election just four months away. It was a late-season campaign thunderstrike unlike any in American history.
What happens next: Joe Biden wants to pass the baton to Kamala Harris. Here's how that might work
With U.S. President Joe Biden ending his re-election bid and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats now must navigate a shift that is unprecedented this late in an election year.
Justin Trudeau reacts to Joe Biden announcing he won't run for re-election
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the news that U.S. President Joe Biden won’t run for re-election Sunday, calling Biden a 'true friend.'
Harris, endorsed by Biden, could become first woman, second Black person to be U.S. president
Kamala Harris could become the first Black woman to head a major U.S. party presidential ticket after U.S. President Joe Biden abruptly ended his re-election bid and endorsed her.
Read Biden's full text announcing the end to his re-election campaign
U.S. President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign on Sunday after fellow Democrats lost faith in his mental acuity and ability to beat Donald Trump. He announced his decision in a letter posted on social media. Read the full text.
LCBO workers ratify tentative agreement, strike ends Monday
The union representing 10,000 workers at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has ratified a tentative agreement, which will officially end its two-week strike at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
Joy in Newfoundland after 'Lucky 7' fishers survive harrowing days lost at sea
There was a powerful word being repeated in the joyful Newfoundland community of New-Wes-Valley on Sunday: 'Miracle.'
The pilot who died in crash after releasing skydivers near Niagara Falls has been identified
NEW YORK (AP) — Officials on Sunday released the name of a pilot who died in a skydiving flight after her passengers jumped from the aircraft near the Niagara Falls.
A 12-year-old girl is accused of smothering her younger cousin over an iPhone
A 12-year-old girl in Tennessee has been charged with murder, accused of smothering her eight-year-old cousin as the younger girl slept. A relative said they had been arguing over an iPhone.