Articles of the Month

Tsunami: Could It Happen Here?

By now everyone has heard of the tsunami that has ravaged Southeast Asia. The number of lives lost and the sheer destruction has horrified the world. The tsunami has left these countries so helpless, people from all around the world have rushed to their aid, donating money and time to help the survivors.

One of the reasons why the tsunami was so devastating was because of the countries? lack of a warning system. With the large number of people living or vacationing in the area, the large loss of life was inevitable with no measures in place to ensure proper warning.

What many Canadians may not realize is that our country is also susceptible to such an event. According to experts, it?s not a matter of if, but when, such a thing will happen here. Hardest hit will be the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The idea of a tsunami is not new to the people who live there. Back in 1964, a large earthquake that occurred in Alaska resulted in a giant tsunami hitting Vancouver Island. Also hit were the towns of Alberni and Port Alberni. Damage was extensive, and eventually resulted in Alberni merging into Port Alberni to become one town, but luckily no lives were lost. Shock from the events, and the realization that it could very well happen again resulted in a tsunami warning system being put into place at Port Alberni. To this day that system is still tested once a month to ensure that it is ready should the time come.

However, Port Alberni is not the only place at risk. Tofino, a popular tourist town right on the Pacific Rim, relies on a much more primitive method of warning should a tsunami come. The residents of this town, with a year-round population of just over 1000 people, will literally have to go door to door and make phone calls to ensure that people in low-lying areas get to higher ground once an incoming tsunami is detected. While that system may work out okay during the off-season, if a tsunami were to strike during the summer it could be a completely different story. Tofino is world-renowned for its beautiful beaches and excellent surfing. Its population can swell up to 20,000 in the summer because of this, with most people choosing to spend their time in or near the water. Should a tsunami strike during this time, the results would be disastrous. As well, a tsunami hitting the west coast of Vancouver Island could cause the ocean?s water level to rise, which may result in the aftermath spilling into the cities of Victoria and Vancouver.

Is Canada really all that much better prepared than the countries of Southeast Asia for such an event? While such a large loss of life would most likely not occur here simply because of a less concentrated population of people, the results of such a tsunami would still prove to be disastrous. Are the right measures being taken to ensure more people will have enough notice to get out of the tsunami?s path? Port Alberni definitely seems to be doing their part, but what about towns like Tofino? Will the ?word of mouth? method help prevent lives from being lost? Should the government give more financial assistance to Tofino to help them get a proper tsunami warning system in place? How would Canada react to such a thing happening here? Are we ready? There are still many questions to be answered.