UPDATE:
British Columbia’s emergency preparedness agency has upgraded a tsunami watch to a tsunami advisory spanning much of the province’s coast after a massive earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off southeastern Russia. More coming.
A tsunami has hit coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s large northern island of Hokkaido.
-Original Story-
A tsunami watch has been issued for much of British Columbia’s coast after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off southeastern Russia.
B.C.’s emergency preparedness agency says the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a bulletin that spans parts of B.C., including Greater Victoria.
A statement from Emergency Info BC says “a tsunami has been generated” and local governments in areas subject to the watch are urged to activate their emergency plans and standby for further information.
The affected zones in B.C. are the North Coast and Haida Gwaii, the Central Coast and northeastern Vancouver Island, including Kitimat, Bella Coola and Port Hardy, and the outer west coast of Vancouver Island from Cape Scott to Port Renfrew.
The tsunami watch also covers the Juan de Fuca Strait from Jordan River to Greater Victoria, including the Saanich Peninsula.
The Emergency Info BC website says a “watch” means the danger level is not yet known and it recommends people in affected areas move away from the ocean and not return until emergency officials indicate it is safe to do so.
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