Latest news with #BritishColumbians
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Tsunami advisory for B.C. coast cancelled after massive quake off Russia
WICKANINNISH BEACH, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - The British Columbia government has cancelled a tsunami advisory that was issued after a massive underwater earthquake off Russia that was one of the strongest ever recorded. The advisory initially said tsunami waves of less than 30 centimetres were expected to hit Tofino, B.C., around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, after the quake that had a preliminary magnitude of 8.8. Overnight, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the waves were highest in B.C. at Langara Island, at 27 centimetres. They were 21 centimetres in Tofino. The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness issued a bulletin saying the province was standing down its operations centre. 'No zones of coastal British Columbia are at risk. Repeat, no zones of coastal British Columbia are at risk,' the 6:25 a.m. bulletin said. While the advisory was in place, British Columbians were being urged to stay away from the coast. The District of Tofino had closed beaches and the province's emergency information agency warned of strong waves and currents. The quake struck just before 4:25 p.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, about 119 kilometres east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of about 180,000 residents in Russia's Kamchatka region. The preliminary magnitude of 8.8 would make it the world's strongest quake since 2011, and one of the 10 most powerful recorded since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Signs alerting people about the now-cancelled tsunami advisory had been posted at Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park, southeast of Tofino, but people continued to take in Tuesday's sunset, although the parking lot was mostly empty. Campers at the JX Surf Shop campground between Tofino and Ucluelet on Vancouver Island were glued to their phones Tuesday night searching for the news about the tsunami, but most campers appeared to be staying put. Beyond B.C., the quake sent tsunami waves into Japan, Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast. Several people were injured, but none gravely, and no major damage has been reported so far. Authorities warned the risk from the quake could last for hours, and millions of people potentially in the path of the waves were initially told to move away from the shore or seek high ground. The worst appeared to have passed for many areas, including the U.S., Japan and the affected parts of Russia. But Chile raised its tsunami warning to the highest level for most of its lengthy Pacific coast and said it was evacuating hundreds of people. In the immediate aftermath of the quake off Russia's Kamchatka peninsula, residents fled inland as ports flooded, and several were injured while rushing to leave buildings. — With files by Dirk Meissner in Wickaninnish Beach, and The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Vancouver Sun
5 hours ago
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Canucks: B.C. cancer initiative hits home for Kirk and Genevieve McLean
Kirk McLean was adept at saving the day for the Vancouver Canucks and is a Ring Of Honour member. Now the franchise icon, along with wife Genevieve, are lending support for the biggest save in the game of life. They both have a history with cancer — Kirk lost his parents to the disease, and Genevieve is a three-time survivor — so supporting the Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital Foundation's 'Greater Than Cancer' provincewide initiative really hits home. It was one thing for McLean to endure the NHL career disappointment of losing Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final. Suddenly losing his parents to cancer in a short span of time was much harder to process, but a path to help others inflicted by the disease is always there. And he's happy to help. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'I was just freshly retired and it happened so quick,' McLean recalled Tuesday. 'They were both diagnosed, and then gone six months apart. My mom was 65 and dad was 67 and they had just retired. It was extremely tough because I was very close to them. 'And to lose them to this brutal disease, it hits you like a ton of bricks.' It could have changed McLean, but he has always championed causes, and works tirelessly as a Canucks ambassador. Adding his support to the 'Greater Than Cancer' initiative was a no-brainer. 'I was always brought up to give back and appreciate every day to the fullest,' stressed McLean. 'And this is an extra nudge to use my so-called celebrity status and connections for charities. Cancer is right there at the top for obvious reasons, and this campaign is awesome. There's an urgent need to expand capacity and better diagnosis, treatment, and advanced care. 'As much as money is thrown at this disease, there as diseases within the disease, and we have to kick this in the butt.' The initiative focuses on advancing state-of-the-art cancer diagnostics, surgery, and research at Vancouver General Hospital. It's where the most-complicated cases in B.C. are treated, and timing of this campaign is imperative. Cancer cases in the province continue to escalate, with more than 30,000 expected to be diagnosed with the disease this year. One in two British Columbians will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, so ensuring specialists and superior resources are present to combat the disease is of paramount importance. VGH is the largest and most advanced hospital in the province, but there is an urgent need to expand capacity to better address cancer cases. The campaign has a goal of raising $35 million to produce treatments for patients across B.C. The initiative aligns with the provincial government's 10-year Cancer Action Plan announced in 2023. Community support and donations are also essential to help deliver world-class care and drive the next generation of cancer-fighting technology and treatments. Funding addresses the following foundation goals: • Renewed pathology laboratory at VGH to use the power of robotics and AI (Artificial Intelligence) to decrease diagnostic turnaround time and facilitate more accurate diagnosis. • State-of-the-art operating rooms and surgical tools. In April, VGH became the first hospital in Canada to conduct a surgical procedure by using a spine robot. In May, VGH opened the province's first in-patient clinical trials unit. Genevieve was diagnosed with leukemia as a child, and nine years later at the age of 24 there was a relapse. She received a life-saving blood transplant from her brother at VGH. However, in 2017, Genevieve faced another cancer battle. A six-by-five centimetre tumour was discovered in her adrenal gland and successfully removed. She remains cancer free today and is beyond grateful. 'It for sure changes you, because the little things now don't matter as much after going through that,' said Genevieve. 'It changes your perspective as the years go by because you realize how lucky you are. There's the cancer portion and the treatments and a lot of parts in your body are affected. 'Cancer doesn't just happen, it goes much further along and is always evolving. You get it and you think you're not going to graduate or get married and worry about the future. That's where it changed me. I was fortunate to meet Kirk's parents and it was very similar because faith is a big part of us. And so is being happy day by day because life isn't guaranteed.' Cancer doesn't play favourites. Genevieve played sports in high school and was modelling when struck by the cancer relapse. There was no family history of cancer. She had been in New York and Italy and then returned home, and wham, it hit her again. And when it struck for a third time, her mettle was tested. Was this like baseball, three strikes and she's out? 'I had lower-back pain, but I played sports growing up and thought it was just from working out, but Kirk told me it was ridiculous. Your back shouldn't be hurting all the time,' recalled Genevieve. 'I had such pain before, that this was nothing in the grand scheme of things, and I just put it (examination) off. 'I got tested at VGH and it was completely unrelated the other (cancers). I had to prep for three weeks with medication before the surgery and they do huge complex care and surgeries. I need to find that cancer-free bell and ring it.' For more initiative information, visit bkuzma@
Edmonton Journal
5 hours ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Canucks: B.C. cancer initiative hits home for Kirk and Genevieve McLean
Article content Kirk McLean was adept at saving the day for the Vancouver Canucks and is a Ring Of Honour member. Article content Now the franchise icon, along with wife Genevieve, are lending support for the biggest save in the game of life. Article content Article content They both have a history with cancer — Kirk lost his parents to the disease, and Genevieve is a three-time survivor — so supporting the Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital Foundation's 'Greater Than Cancer' provincewide initiative really hits home. Article content Article content It was one thing for McLean to endure the NHL career disappointment of losing Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final. Suddenly losing his parents to cancer in a short span of time was much harder to process, but a path to help others inflicted by the disease is always there. And he's happy to help. Article content Article content 'I was just freshly retired and it happened so quick,' McLean recalled Tuesday. 'They were both diagnosed, and then gone six months apart. My mom was 65 and dad was 67 and they had just retired. It was extremely tough because I was very close to them. Article content It could have changed McLean, but he has always championed causes, and works tirelessly as a Canucks ambassador. Adding his support to the 'Greater Than Cancer' initiative was a no-brainer. Article content 'I was always brought up to give back and appreciate every day to the fullest,' stressed McLean. 'And this is an extra nudge to use my so-called celebrity status and connections for charities. Cancer is right there at the top for obvious reasons, and this campaign is awesome. There's an urgent need to expand capacity and better diagnosis, treatment, and advanced care. Article content Article content 'As much as money is thrown at this disease, there as diseases within the disease, and we have to kick this in the butt.' Article content Article content Article content The initiative focuses on advancing state-of-the-art cancer diagnostics, surgery, and research at Vancouver General Hospital. It's where the most-complicated cases in B.C. are treated, and timing of this campaign is imperative. Cancer cases in the province continue to escalate, with more than 30,000 expected to be diagnosed with the disease this year. Article content One in two British Columbians will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, so ensuring specialists and superior resources are present to combat the disease is of paramount importance. VGH is the largest and most advanced hospital in the province, but there is an urgent need to expand capacity to better address cancer cases. Article content The campaign has a goal of raising $35 million to produce treatments for patients across B.C. The initiative aligns with the provincial government's 10-year Cancer Action Plan announced in 2023. Community support and donations are also essential to help deliver world-class care and drive the next generation of cancer-fighting technology and treatments.
National Observer
5 hours ago
- Climate
- National Observer
British Columbians told to avoid the coast, after Russia quake triggers tsunami advisory
British Columbians are being urged to stay away from coastal areas that remain under a tsunami advisory, after one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded triggered warnings and alerts around the Pacific. The District of Tofino says beaches are closed, while the province's emergency information agency says people in areas covered by the advisory should stay away from shorelines, with strong waves and currents possible. Emergency Info BC had said tsunami waves of less than 30 centimetres were expected to hit Tofino, BC, around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, but there was no immediate confirmation of their arrival that coincided with a low tide. However, at 1:20 a.m. Pacific daylight time, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its tsunami bulletin to include regional observations. For British Columbia, that included an "observed maximum tsunami height" of six centimetres at Langara Island, 27 centimetres at Winter Harbour, 21 centimetres at Tofino and nine centimetres at Bamfield. The quake that hit off the coast of southeastern Russia on Tuesday had a preliminary magnitude of 8.8, which would make it the world's strongest quake since 2011. The tsunami advisory in BC covers the North Coast and Haida Gwaii, the Central Coast and northeastern Vancouver Island, the island's west coast and the Juan de Fuca Strait from the Jordan River area to Greater Victoria, including the Saanich Peninsula. Signs alerting people about the tsunami advisory were posted at Wickaninish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park, southeast of Tofino, but people continued to take in Tuesday's sunset, although the parking lot was mostly empty. Campers at the JX Surf Shop campground between Tofino and Ucluelet on Vancouver Island were glued to their phones overnight searching for the news about the tsunami. However, most appeared to be staying put for the night. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami as high as 40 centimetres was detected in 16 locations as the waves moved south along the Pacific coast. But officials urged caution, saying bigger waves could come later, with the US National Tsunami Warning Centre saying waves higher than three metres were possible in parts of Hawaii, Ecuador and Russia. Damage and evacuations were reported in the Russian regions nearest the quake's epicentre on the Kamchatka Peninsula. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025.
Vancouver Sun
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Vancouver Sun
British Columbians told to avoid coast after Russia quake triggers tsunami advisory
WICKANINISH BEACH, B.C. — British Columbians are being urged to stay away from coastal areas that remain under a tsunami advisory, after one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded triggered warnings and alerts around the Pacific. The District of Tofino says beaches are closed, while the province's emergency information agency says people in areas covered by the advisory should stay away from shorelines, with strong waves and currents possible. Emergency Info BC had said tsunami waves of less than 30 centimetres were expected to hit Tofino around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, but there was no immediate confirmation of their arrival that coincided with a low tide. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. However, at 1:20 a.m. local time, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its tsunami bulletin to include regional observations. For British Columbia, that included an 'observed maximum tsunami height' of six centimetres at Langara Island, 27 centimetres at Winter Harbour, 21 centimetres at Tofino and nine centimetres at Bamfield. The quake that hit off the coast of southeastern Russia on Tuesday had a preliminary magnitude of 8.8, which would make it the world's strongest quake since 2011. The tsunami advisory in B.C. covers the North Coast and Haida Gwaii, the Central Coast and northeastern Vancouver Island, the island's west coast and the Juan de Fuca Strait from the Jordan River area to Greater Victoria, including the Saanich Peninsula. Signs alerting people about the tsunami advisory were posted at Wickaninish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park, southeast of Tofino, but people continued to take in Tuesday's sunset, although the parking lot was mostly empty. Campers at the JX Surf Shop campground between Tofino and Ucluelet on Vancouver Island were glued to their phones overnight searching for the news about the tsunami. However, most appeared to be staying put for the night. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami as high as 40 centimetres was detected in 16 locations as the waves moved south along the Pacific coast. But officials urged caution, saying bigger waves could come later, with the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Centre saying waves higher than three metres were possible in parts of Hawaii, Ecuador and Russia. Damage and evacuations were reported in the Russian regions nearest the quake's epicentre on the Kamchatka Peninsula. With files by The Associated Press Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
