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North Island Tsunami responder praises others

Dear editor,

Re: Tsunami advisory for Vancouver Island's West Coast

The community of Quatsino received a call from Ruth Botel at 1:30 a.m. to alert us of the tsunami watch anouncement. Our local emergency dispatch team went on standby as further information was received from the Automated Tsunami Warning Centre, the Provincial Emergency Notification System and from the North Island Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

When the watch was upgraded to an Advisory at 1:50 a.m., our dispatchers began phoning all community members to alert them of the earthquake event in Japan and the possibility of a 60cm to 1m wave which could hit our shores between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.

A tidal surge of around 60 cm arrived at 8 a.m. with no damage being reported.

I would like to thank Ruth Botel for thinking to call Quatsino, and our dispatchers for their efforts to alert the community and for standing by for updates through the early morning hours.

Gwen Hansen

Quatsino Emergency Preparedness Team Coordinator