Port Alberni, B.C., a small coastal community on Vancouver Island, evacuated its residents on Jan. 23, 2018, following a tsunami warning triggered by a massive earthquake off the coast of Alaska.
Port Alberni, B.C., a small coastal community on Vancouver Island, evacuated its residents on Jan. 23, 2018, following a tsunami warning triggered by a massive earthquake off the coast of Alaska.
Although the tsunami didn’t happen, the evacuation provides crucial insights into how residents respond during a mass evacuation, according to UBC researchers Ryan Reynolds and Alexa Tanner, who say the information can be used to improve community emergency response plans.
Ryan Reynolds
In this Q&A, Reynolds, a postdoctoral researcher in UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning, explains what went right, what could have been done better, and what lessons the evacuation offers for coastal communities across Canada.
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Image via University of British Columbia.
