Emergency preparedness experts are hoping yesterday’s magnitude 6.6 earthquake, which struck 40 kilometers from Port Alice, is a wake-up call for BC residents.
Jani Drew, Emergency Program Coordinator for the Regional District of Nanaimo, says it’s a taste of what’s likely to come.
Drew says they’re encouraging everyone to be prepared to fend for themselves for at least a week, and possibly up to a month. Bill Elsner, the Emergency Program Coordinator for the Sunshine Coast Regional District, says that’s especially important for people living in isolated areas, like the Sunshine Coast. He says it’s time to take stock of your emergency supplies and have a plan.
May 4th to 10th is National Emergency Preparedness Week, and there are tips on Emergency Management BC‘s website. The last time a large quake rocked the BC coast was October 2012, when a magnitude 7.7 quake struck the Haida Gwaii Islands.
