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What Should I Do When I Hear About a Tsunami Warning?
West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre
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Tsunamis are rare, but serious events.
Tsunamis originating some distance away across the Pacific Ocean may not be preceded by a "felt earthquake." When a warning from a distant tsunami is issued, local emergency officials usually have time to notify citizens close to beaches and low lying areas. Communities in high-risk areas will act on their emergency plans to respond to tsunami warnings. People will be advised by local emergency officials to follow evacuation routes to higher ground.
It is agreed by scientific and technical experts, that areas around Victoria and Vancouver are generally not seriously threatened in these types of situations.
In a less likely situation, a strong near-shore earthquake may also generate a tsunami. Therefore, if you live in a high-risk area and feel strong ground shaking, it is recommended that you move inland or to high ground immediately and return only after local emergency officials say to do so. Emergency officials may not have time to issue a warning.
In high-risk municipalities and regional districts, tsunami notifications are undertaken locally by various means: loud hailer, siren, phone fan-outs, etc. People are advised to follow the directions of local emergency officials and stay tuned to local radio or TV stations for information and instructions from emergency officials in the area.
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