Provincial officials to simulate large-scale earthquake in training exercise
Posted February 3, 2023 9:19 pm.
The 2023 Exercise Coastal Response will be a training exercise for officials to practice responding to an earthquake.
In a release, the province says it will simulate an earthquake that would affect the coast of Richmond and Tsawwassen, which will include major bridges, complex infrastructures, ports, airports, railways, highways, and major buildings.
“Many areas of British Columbia are at risk of earthquakes and it’s important that we are ready for what might come,” says Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.
Ma says the training will test emergency plans and help strengthen any weaknesses found.
“While the Province, the federal government and our emergency management partners work together to ensure we are always prepared to respond, individuals and families are also reminded to ensure they have emergency kits ready in their homes,” Ma said.
The exercise’s goal is to test the overall preparedness and coordination of inter-agency communication. It will also test the province’s earthquake strategy which was updated in 2022.
Related Articles: Magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Tofino, B.C. Saturday
The Squamish Nation, The City of Port Moody, TransLink, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the Canadian Red Cross are some of the groups participating.
Community leaders also say the exercise will be a practical learning experience that will benefit residents.
“In a large-scale emergency with region-wide impacts, it’s going to be critical for everyone – governments, industry partners, and non-government organizations – to work together to help people and communities recover,” Port Moody’s Mayor Meghan Lahti said.
The province’s first coastal exercise was in 2016 when it based a full-scale earthquake and tsunami response on a 9.0 magnitude earthquake.
It comes just days after a 4.0 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Tofino.
No damage or injuries were reported from the earthquake, but it is a stark reminder that B.C. is prone to earthquake activity.
“We recognize that we live in a volatile earthquake zone and that it is important to be prepared,” said Sxwíxwtn spokesperson for Squamish Nation.
