More funding needed for earthquake early warning system

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Even a few seconds could make a huge difference. The operators of an offshore sensor array meant to give early warning of an earthquake or tsunami say they need more funding to realize the full potential of the system.

Ocean Networks Canada is a non-profit organization based in Victoria that monitors 800 kilometres of cable on the sea floor west of Vancouver Island, forming what’s known as the Neptune Undersea Observatory.

It includes a number of sensors and instruments that can pick up seismic activities.

“There’s a lot of effort being put forward by a number of agencies, including Ocean Networks Canada, to monitor for earthquakes and tsunamis. We are getting closer to earthquake early warning, which has been around a number of years in places like Japan and Taiwan,” says Teron Moore, a business analyst for ONC.

“In BC we are taking little steps forward Ocean Networks Canada is a big piece of that puzzle leading toward an eventual system that allows people to take action before the shaking actually hits their area,” he tells NEWS 1130.

“Certainly getting more funding is one of the important next steps but also there a number of agencies working together on data sharing and things that don’t cost a lot of money that will enhance the ability of each of our sensor networks to work together and improve the overall system.”

The goal is to share information from sensors operated by Natural Resources Canada and the provincial Ministry of Transportation along with early warning systems being developed by the University of British Columbia.

“That data sharing can add to the picture and help deliver a comprehensive early earthquake warning system but, overall, more funding is needed to increase the density of seismic sensors so that we can deliver a reliable warning in the case of an earthquake.”

Where Japan has thousands of sensors as part of their early warning system, Moore says BC has somewhere around 100.

ONC has said it needs $600,000 to lay more undersea sensors along the Cascadia Fault line. An extensive earthquake monitoring system similar to Japan’s would involve an investment in the $60-million range.

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