The City of Nanaimo is reminding residents about earthquake safety as it checked on critical infrastructure following a minor tremor yesterday.
The 5.1 magnitude shaker sent a shudder through buildings and their occupants when it radiated from its epicentre near Sechelt shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21.
Out of an abundance of caution, staff checked critical infrastructure, examined recreation and civic facilities, water delivery lines, city-owned dams, bridges and reservoirs, noted a city press release. No damage or disruption of infrastructure was found in the immediate hours following the event.
An emergency alert from the province was sent out as the quake happened. The city's Voyent Alert! system only automatically generates an alert to subscribers for earthquakes above magnitude 6.0, so no local alert was generated. Had safety-related issues arisen in Nanaimo from the earthquake, the city would have sent an alert with instructions as a follow up to the provincial alert.
This event serves as a reminder the B.C. coast can experience strong earthquakes.
"Following incidents such as this, it is a good reminder that we always need to be prepared,” Evan Lloyd, city emergency program manager, said in the release. “You should always have an emergency kit with at least seven days worth of supplies in the event of an emergency."
To learn more about earthquake preparedness and safety following a quake, visit www.nanaimo.ca/preparedness.
Residents are also advised to sign up for Voyent Alert!, the City of Nanaimo's emergency alert system by visiting the city website at www.nanaimo.ca/.
