Latest news with #EarthquakeEarlyWarning
CBC
06-03-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Magnitude 3.9 earthquake 'lightly felt' in Victoria
Social Sharing A magnitude 3.9 earthquake was recorded around 60 kilometres south of Victoria on Wednesday, officials say, in what is the latest quake to be felt in southwest B.C. over the last two weeks. Earthquakes Canada says the quake's epicentre was in Olympic National Park in Washington state, and it struck around 4:18 p.m. PT. The agency says that there were no reports of damage due to the shaker, and none would be expected. The quake was "lightly felt" in Victoria, according to Earthquakes Canada. Officials say anyone who felt the quake should fill out the Earthquakes Canada " Did you feel it?" form. WATCH | Should you be concerned about so many earthquakes in a short span of time? Multiple earthquakes in a short time. Should you be worried? 2 days ago Duration 3:05 Southwestern British Columbia has experienced several small but noticeable earthquakes over the past few weeks. Seismologist Johanna Wagstaffe explains why these tremors do not increase or decrease the likelihood of a larger earthquake. Wednesday's quake comes after a 4.7-magnitude earthquake near Sechelt on Feb. 21 and a 5.0-magnitude quake on Feb. 24 off the coast of Port Alice on northern Vancouver Island. A 4.1-magnitude earthquake was also reported near Sidney on March 3, in what has been a particularly seismically active winter for southwest B.C. WATCH | Why some may not get emergency alerts after a quake: Why you might not get an earthquake alert during an emergency 1 day ago Duration 3:56 Southwestern British Columbia has experienced several small but noticeable earthquakes over the past few weeks. For some it's raising questions about how to be better prepared. CBC's Baneet Braich looked into the Earthquake Early Warning system and how to better ensure it works for you.
CBC
04-03-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Why you might not get an earthquake alert during an emergency
Southwestern British Columbia has experienced several small but noticeable earthquakes over the past few weeks. For some it's raising questions on how to be better prepared. CBC's Baneet Braich looked into the Earthquake Early Warning system and how to better ensure it works for you.
CBC
22-02-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Why did some people not receive an alert after the B.C. earthquake?
Social Sharing Many British Columbians received an alert on their phone after a 4.7-magnitude earthquake struck B.C.'s Sunshine Coast on Friday afternoon. The alert notified people that an earthquake had been detected and urged them to "drop, cover and hold on." Natural Resources Canada said the quake occurred at 1:26 p.m. PT at a depth of about 1 kilometre, and there were no immediate reports of damage. The federal department told CBC News an alert was sent at 1:27 p.m. PT. While many received an alert shortly after the quake, others reported not receiving anything. "It does seem to be the case that some people did not receive alerts while people they were with did," said a statement from Natural Resources Canada, which is responsible for the Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system. "This will need to be investigated." The statement said the EEW system only alerts areas where strong and potentially harmful shaking is anticipated. "For people further from the epicentre, feeling lighter shaking, an EEW should not be expected," it said. The statement also said that people may receive an alert before, during or after shaking arrives at their location depending on their distance from the earthquake and the method by which they receive the alert. For an alert to be issued, the quake has to be of a magnitude greater than 5.0 with a Modified Mercalli (MM) Intensity of IV or higher. WATCH | CBC seismologist explains crustal earthquakes: What we know about the 4.7-magnitude earthquake in B.C. 3 hours ago Duration 2:10 CBC meteorologist and seismologist Johanna Wagstaffe breaks down what we know about the 4.7-magnitude earthquake that rattled southwest B.C. and what we can learn from it. Earthquakes Canada initially recorded the magnitude as high as 5.4, but revised the measurement to a 4.7 around 5 p.m. PT — which means it is classified as a minor event. It said an MM IV quake"can be felt indoors by many, outdoors by few" and can lead to the rattling of dishes, and the swinging of hanging objects. Natural Resources Canada said warnings are sent automatically via the National Public Alerting System to cell towers, TVs, and radios within the area where strong shaking is expected. There is no need nor is there a way to sign up for alerts and even visitors to the area should receive an alert. WATCH | CBC's Johanna Wagstaffe says the earthquake is one of the bigger ones B.C. has seen: How rare is an earthquake of this magnitude in B.C.? Our meteorologist explains 5 hours ago Duration 0:55 CBC's Johanna Wagstaffe says the earthquake that hit on Friday is one of the bigger ones B.C.'s coast has seen, but not the "big one" that's expected. Last August, provincial and federal government officials announced that the earthquake early detection system had been activated in B.C. "We cannot stress this enough, during an earthquake, every second counts," Federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said at the time. Tony Yang, a professor with the University of British Columbia's Dept. of Civil Engineering, said the system can allow critical infrastructure to take immediate action, such as halting traffic from driving onto bridges or into tunnels. He said the technology around earthquake alerts is improving, but "we are not real time yet."
