The final report into the Tsunami Warning and Evacuation of January 23rd of last year has been released.
Written by Dr. Ryan Reynolds of UBC’s School of Community Planning, he and his students spent months talking to local leaders and people in the inundation zone about their response to the early morning tsunami evacuation.
93% of people in the inundation zone evacuated the area, after sirens and emergency personnel alerted residents of the Tsunami Warning.
Reynolds said the Port Alberni experience shows the importance of being ready.
A recent report from the Geological Survey of Canada says were are overdue for a large earthquake.
The study shows the island gets hit once a decade, and it’s been 70 years since a 7.3 magnitude quake hit Courtenay in 1946.
But according to the report, Port Alberni is among the best prepared places for an earthquake or Tsunami event.
40% of households interviewed said they had an emergency plan before the January 2018 tsunami warning, and more than half of those who didn’t, said they would be developing one of their own in preparation for a future event.
While most people fled to higher ground, many didn’t know why the sirens were blaring and the community’s emergency response system did not immediately inform residents of the potential danger.
City CEO and former fire chief Tim Pley said local governments will be leading an education campaign on what to do when you hear the tsunami sirens.
Pley said the province and regional district are also working on a e-mail, phone and text alert system that would complement the other emergency systems in the city.
Reynold’s said issues identified in the report was the need for an improved social media response from the emergency operations centre, and a traffic plan since many families used all their vehicles to flee the area, which contributed to traffic jams on Compton, Johnston and Roger.
Find full report here: https://www.acrd.bc.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID63atID2748.pdf
