VICTORIA—Researchers say a tsunami alert in British Columbia that rang out in the dead of night 14 months ago serves as a preparation blueprint for coastal communities that face the ever-present threat of tidal waves. Ryan Reynolds, a post doctoral risk modelling expert at the University of British Columbia, says the tsunami threat in Port Alberni saw more than 90 per cent of households in warning zones flee for higher ground, but there were glitches before the alert was lifted at 4:30 a.m. Port Alberni was was hit by a tsunami in March 1964 following a 9.2 earthquake off Alaska. ( PN06830 / Alberni Valley Museum ) Damage is seen from the 1964 tsunami that hit Port Alberni. A magnitude 7.9 earthquake off the coast of Alaska prompted the tsunami alert along much of Canada’s West Coast, including Port Alberni, which was hit by a tsunami in March 1964 following a 9.2 earthquake off Alaska.

Source: thestar March 21, 2019 20:15 UTC