More than 2,000 tiny tremors recorded in the south Island and Puget Sound area may mean a small move to the west for Vancouver Island.
It乌鸦传媒檚 too soon to tell, but likely they乌鸦传媒檙e an indicator of 乌鸦传媒渆pisodic tremor and slip,乌鸦传媒� said John Cassidy, an earthquake seismologist with Natural Resources Canada. His research involves all aspects of earthquake hazard studies to help mitigate the impact of future earthquakes in Canada.
It乌鸦传媒檚 not uncommon for the little bursts to happen with hundreds of tremors but the episodic tremor and slip (ETS) events happen about every 14 months and include a little tectonic movement. Puget Sound is on track for an ETS, with the last in October 2020. Southern Vancouver Island had one in February.
READ ALSO:
ETSs were discovered a decade ago, through global positioning data, Cassidy said when researchers noted that at the same time as a large number of tremors, the plate beneath the region shifts a few millimetres 乌鸦传媒� the thickness of five dimes 乌鸦传媒� to the west over the course of a week or two.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 really tiny and it乌鸦传媒檚 really slow but it乌鸦传媒檚 remarkable we can see this with our instruments,乌鸦传媒� Cassidy said.
Typically, Vancouver Island is slowly moving east.
Within the week researchers should have confirmation if this is an ETS event.
乌鸦传媒淎t this point, it looks like one, it has all the characteristics, but we乌鸦传媒檒l be looking for this subtle slip,乌鸦传媒� Cassidy said.
Questions remain about the events themselves 乌鸦传媒� for example, the cause and where the energy is coming from 乌鸦传媒� but they serve as solid reminders about life on the coast, Cassidy said.
READ ALSO:
This is an active subduction zone. Residents should be ready.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 easy to forget about earthquakes and what to do, so just practising that on a regular basis is good,乌鸦传媒� Cassidy said. The Great B.C. ShakeOut (), held the third Thursday in October each year, is geared to exactly that.
Damaging occur every decade or so and magnitude nine earthquakes happen offshore four to six centuries apart, Cassidy said. The last known was Jan. 26, 1700. That date comes from written records of a tsunami that hit Japan at the time. Researchers derived the time and place of the original earthquake from wave heights and arrival times noted in Japan. Local Indigenous oral traditions also describe exactly what would be expected in one of those earthquakes 乌鸦传媒� on a winter乌鸦传媒檚 night, before settlers arrived.
乌鸦传媒淭hey happened before, they乌鸦传媒檒l happen again,乌鸦传媒� Cassidy noted.
He suggests the Capital Regional District乌鸦传媒檚 website, , for resources across Greater Victoria and practical, simple advice that can make a difference after an earthquake.
Black Press Media also produced a resource guide for local residents. It is available online at vicnews.com under e-editions.
READ ALSO:
READ ALSO:
Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on and Instagram, and like us on
