Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • major earthquakes in Japan, New Zealand and Chile have made many Canadians wonder if the same thing could happen here.

  • Those events remind us that earthquakes can cause major damage and possibly loss of life.

  • Earthquake activity is common across much of Canada Each year, seismologists record and locate approximately 5000 mostly small earthquakes across the country.

  • Although scientists can't predict when an earthquake will occur, research can help us take steps to prepare for and reduce losses from future earthquakes.

  • Scientists with natural resource is Canada.

  • Study earthquakes around the world.

  • That research helps us understand what could happen here and learn how we can better protect our homes and communities.

  • Earthquake research is important to modern building codes helping us create structures to withstand earthquake hazards.

  • This is particularly important on the coast of British Columbia.

  • The Pacific coast is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and is the most earthquake prone region in Canada.

  • In fact, earthquakes occur every day on the West Coast, in the offshore region to the west of Vancouver Island.

  • More than 100 earthquakes of magnitude five or greater have occurred during the past 70 years.

  • If the's air near land, the shaking would be quite unsettling, with dishes falling off shelves and minor damage occurring every 252 850 years, There's evidence of giant earthquakes of approximately nine occurring off the West Coast.

  • These large megathrust earthquakes can cause extensive damage to urban areas and are similar to the one that struck Japan in March 2011.

  • In February 2010 a subduction earthquake hit the coast of Chile.

  • Chile presents a compelling case study, and not only because it's quake produced the kind of shaking that may affect Vancouver and Victoria.

  • It also has in place similar building standards to those in Canada.

  • John Cassidy of Natural Resource is Canada had a chance to visit the area.

  • That earthquake was a magnitude 8.8, and it occurred when an ocean plate just offshore of Chile was pushed beneath the continent.

  • It moved about 20 meters, and it caused very strong shaking that people felt for two or three minutes.

  • Here in British Columbia, we have exactly the same type of tectonic setting.

  • A notion plate offshore is being pushed beneath Vancouver Island, Washington and Oregon, and we have exactly the same type of earthquakes along our coast.

  • We also know that are building codes are very similar to those in Chile.

  • And so shortly after the earthquake, I traveled with a group of earthquake engineers to Chile and we traveled through the hardest hit regions of the country to look at damage patterns and to learn what we can apply here in British Columbia.

  • What we found was that the area of impact of that earthquake was huge 600 kilometers long and going about 100 kilometers inland, damaged buildings and bridges highways and seriously impacted the economy.

  • In the coastal areas where there was very strong shaking, there was also a tsunami was 2 to 3 meters high, but in some areas 10 or 15 meters high.

  • And that tsunami came in 20 or 30 minutes after the earthquake.

  • In some areas, up to two or three hours after the earthquake, we found specifically was that the oldest buildings were hardest hit.

  • Those buildings that were constructed before modern building codes, modern buildings in general did well, but there was still damaged to the interior of this building's and there was a lot of damage to the outside with windows and bricks coming down.

  • Modern building codes in Chile, the result of a lot of earthquake research saved thousands and thousands of lives and our cans.

  • Earthquake research helps us understand seismic activity and supports efforts across Canada to minimize damage to our roads, bridges, houses and communities.

  • No one can say for sure when the next big earthquake will hit the Pacific coast, but by knowing what could happen, we better equipped Canadians with the information they need to prepare for more information, visit our website at earthquakes Canada dot c A.

  • And follow us on Twitter at twitter dot com slash Canada Quakes to get the latest information on magnitude, location and time of earthquakes in Canada.

major earthquakes in Japan, New Zealand and Chile have made many Canadians wonder if the same thing could happen here.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it

B1 earthquake chile canada coast damage pacific

Earthquakes of Pacific Canada

  • 134 12
    林宜悉 posted on 2020/03/09
Video vocabulary

Keywords

evidence

US /ˈɛvɪdəns/

UK /'evɪdəns/

  • noun
  • Factual proof that helps to establish the truth
  • Facts, objects, or signs that show that something exists or is true.
  • other
  • To indicate clearly; to be evidence of.
  • To show clearly; prove.
  • other
  • Information used in a court of law to prove something.
  • Facts, objects, or signs that make you believe that something is true.
  • other
  • Information presented in court to prove or disprove alleged facts.
  • Facts, objects, or signs that make you believe that something exists or is true.
compelling

US /kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/

UK /kəmˈpelɪŋ/

  • adjective
  • Making you do, believe something; persuasive
  • Evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way.
  • verb
  • To force someone to do something
  • other
  • To force or oblige someone to do something.
impact

US /ˈɪmˌpækt/

UK /'ɪmpækt/

  • noun
  • A striking effect or result to hit with force
  • Act or force of one thing hitting something else
  • A marked effect or influence.
  • other
  • To collide forcefully with something.
  • verb
  • To hit or strike someone or something with force
  • other
  • (especially of a tooth) wedged so that it cannot erupt.
  • To have a strong effect on someone or something.
prone

US /proʊn/

UK /prəʊn/

  • adjective
  • Lying flat with your head facing the ground
  • Likely to have, do or be (usually something bad)
specifically

US /spəˈsɪfɪkli/

UK /spəˈsɪfɪkli/

  • adverb
  • As regards a particular thing; closely related to
  • In a definite and clear manner.
strike

US /straɪk/

UK /straɪk/

  • noun
  • A punch or hit
  • Fact of not hitting the ball when playing baseball
  • In bowling, the act of knocking down all the pins with the first ball.
  • A refusal to work organized by a body of employees as a form of protest, typically in order to gain a concession or concessions from their employer.
  • A military attack, especially an air raid.
  • Refusal to work to get more pay, protest something
  • verb
  • To hit something
  • To suddenly become (e.g. rich)
  • To hit forcefully and deliberately.
  • To have an idea occur to you
  • To remove or erase.
approximately

US /əˈprɑksəmɪtlɪ/

UK /əˈprɒksɪmətli/

  • adverb
  • Around; nearly; almost; about (a number)
continent

US /ˈkɑntənənt/

UK /ˈkɒntɪnənt/

  • noun
  • Very large piece of land, e.g. Africa or Asia
  • One of the world's main continuous expanses of land (Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America).
  • The ability to control excretory functions (bowel and bladder).
  • adjective
  • Able to control excretory functions (bowel and bladder).
research

US /rɪˈsɚtʃ, ˈriˌsɚtʃ/

UK /rɪ'sɜ:tʃ/

  • noun
  • Study done to discover new ideas and facts
  • A particular area or topic of study.
  • A department or group within an organization dedicated to conducting research.
  • A detailed report of the results of a study.
  • verb
  • To study in order to discover new ideas and facts
  • other
  • A particular area or topic of academic study or investigation.
  • The work devoted to a particular study.
  • Systematic investigation into a subject in order to discover or revise facts, theories, applications, etc.
  • The systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of data about issues relating to marketing products and services.
  • other
  • Systematic investigation to establish facts or collect information on a subject.
  • other
  • To study the market relating to marketing products and services.
  • To study (a subject) in detail, especially in order to discover new information or reach a new understanding.
  • other
  • To carry out academic or scientific research.
notion

US /ˈnoʃən/

UK /ˈnəuʃən/

  • noun
  • Sudden idea or desire to do something