Hear the Earthquake

The effect of an earthquake includes ground shaking, landslides, and liquefaction (change of sediment from a solid to a quicksand-like liquid state). Earthquakes are most destructive when they are centered near cities, but the damage can differ considerably from site to site because
of local geological conditions. For example, shaking on loose sediment is likely to be greater than shaking on bedrock. Some earthquakes trigger destructive sea waves (tsunamis) that can surge hundreds of metres inland, have heights of 10 m or more, and cause loss of life and severe property damage. In southwest B.C., the tsunami threat is greatest on the outer coast of Vancouver Island.

Earthquakes cannot be prevented. However, the damage they cause can be reduced through geological and geophysical studies that contribute to proper design of buildings and other structures, emergency planning, and public education. Geological mapping can identify areas of possible severe ground shaking, liquefaction, or landslides.

Earthquakes Felt In Vancouver

~1700 AD west of Vancouver Island magnitude 8+ (great earthquake; native villages destroyed)
Dec. 15, 1872 north-central Washington magnitude 7.4 (felt strongly on the Lower Mainland)
Jan. 11, 1909 San Juan Islands magnitude 6 (felt strongly in Lower Mainland)
Dec. 6, 1918 Vancouver Island magnitude 7 (damage on west coast of Vancouver Isl.)
Jan. 24, 1920 San Juan Islands magnitude 5.5 (felt strongly in the Lower Mainland)
June 23, 1946 Vancouver Island magnitude 7.3 (much damage on central Vancouver Isl.)
April 13, 1949 Puget Lowland magnitude 7 (much damage in Seattle and Tacoma)
April 29, 1965 Puget Lowland magnitude 6.5 (much damage in Seattle)
Nov. 30, 1975 Strait of Georgia magnitude 4.9 (many aftershocks)
May 16, 1976 southern Gulf Islands magnitude 5.4
April 14, 1990 Fraser Lowland magnitude 4.9 (many aftershocks)
May 3, 1996 east of Seattle magnitude 5.5 (felt in the Lower Mainland

Links

Natural Disasters

Preperation Handbook

General Information

Sources

Text-Geoscape VancouverEarthquake!!On shaky ground- http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/vancouver/earth_e.php

Animation- http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/vancouver/earth_e.php

Picture-http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/vancouver/living_e.php

Picture-Shack-http://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-29/

Picture- Railroad-http://apsn.awcable.com/1964.htm

Video-http://honeyvirus.imeem.com/video/yElAqs0_/earthquake/