There was a whole lotta shaking’ going on in Oliver and Osoyoos Saturday morning.
Thankfully, no one got hurt and there wasn’t any reported property damage when a 4.0 magnitude earthquake hit the South Okanagan Saturday morning around 9:15 a.m.
The earthquake was felt as far north as Lake Country and extended south to Osoyoos and east up near Bridesville, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN).
The epicentre of the earthquake was reported near Mount Baldy in Oliver.
As Alison Bird, a veteran earthquake seismologist with NRCAN explained, it is not unusual for an earthquake of this magnitude to hit the South Okanagan as they tend to happen once every few years.
While there wasn’t any property damage or personal injuries reported this time around, there’s no doubt that Saturday’s earthquake did affect a lot of people as many Osoyoos residents have commented they felt the ground shaking and knew something out of the usual was taking place.
“We’ve seen earthquakes in this region at around this level once every few years,” said Bird. “It’s quite common to have an earthquake in this region once every few years.”
What this latest incident should bring home, according to Bird and other earthquake experts, is that we’re not immune from seismic activity here in the South Okanagan.
During a lengthy phone interview with the Osoyoos Times a couple of hours after the earthquake hit this region, Bird said the incident should act as a reminder to all residents that they should be prepared in case a more active seismic event were to happen.
Only when an earthquake hits 5.0 magnitude would one expect property damage and possible personal injuries to take place, said Bird.
If and when a stronger earthquake does hit, it’s vitally important that all residents be prepared to take immediate action.
After earthquakes take place, NRCAN likes to take the time to remind members of the public to prepare an earthquake preparedness kit and for neighbours to consider working together to formulate a neighbourhood preparedness plan.
Emergency Management B.C. has a link on their website which informs citizens what they should do to put together an emergency preparedness kit.
It would only take minimal effort and not cost a great deal of money to have a kit like this ready and available the next time an earthquake – and possibly a much stronger one – were to return to our area.
The reality is if and when a more serious seismic event does take place, there won’t be a lot of time to react and get you and your loved ones to safety.
Saturday’s earthquake should act as a stark reminder that a more serious event could take place and we should all be prepared when it does happen.
There are areas in the United States where school children and families work together to practice drills on a regular basis to prepare should a serious earthquake take place.
As the old saying goes, it’s better to be safe than to be sorry.
Most of us won’t do much of anything following Saturday’s event because no one was hurt and there wasn’t property damage.
But it’s that kind of lackadaisacal attitude that has the potential to cause all kinds of problems should a more devastating seismic event rock our beautiful corner of the world in the future.
Parents owe it to their school-aged children to talk about what happened on Saturday and explain to them what an earthquake is and why it’s important to follow basic safety rules should a more serious event happen in the future.
Mother Nature is always unpredictable and you never know when she might unleash her fury, but there’s no excuse for not being prepared as history has shown the South Okanagan has had its fair share of earthquakes over the past several decades.
As Bird explained, it’s also a very good idea for neighbours to work together to formulate a plan of action should a strong earthquake take place.
Time is of the essence in any emergency situation and knowing exactly what to do and where to go in the minutes following a serious earthquake could prove to be the difference to avoiding a tragedy.
