Skip to main content
Ocean Networks Canada

Ocean Networks Canada

Search form

Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn iconYouTube iconFlickr iconInstagram icon

Menu

  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Jobs & Opportunities
    • Events & Workshops
    • Contact Us
    • Support Us
    • Annual Report 2020-2021
    • Organization
      • Leadership
      • Staff
      • Boards
      • Committees
    • Funders, Associate Members & Partners
      • Funders
      • Associate Members
      • Partners
  • Science
    • Science
    • Active Research
    • Highlights
    • Science Plan
      • Summary
      • Science Themes
    • Publications
      • General Interest
      • Academic
    • Getting Involved
      • Proposals
  • Innovation Centre
    • Innovation Centre
    • About the Innovation Centre
    • Success Stories
    • Contact Us
    • Smart Ocean™ Systems
      • Sensors and Instruments
      • Technology Demos
      • Ocean Observing Systems
      • Earthquake Early Warning
    • Partners & Networks
      • Industry Network
      • Global Partnerships
      • R&D Support
      • Students in Industry
    • Atlantic Partners
  • Learning
    • Learning
    • Learning Highlights
    • Learning Events
    • Partnerships
    • Contact Us
    • Ocean Sense
      • Community Observatories
        • Cambridge Bay
        • Campbell River
        • Kitamaat Village
        • Prince Rupert
      • Teacher Info
      • Student Info
      • Resources & Lessons
    • Get Involved
      • For Students
        • For Undergrads & Grads
      • For Educators
        • Educator Opportunities
      • For Communities
      • Ship2Shore
      • Citizen Science
        • Coastbuster
        • Digital Fishers
      • Youth Science Ambassador
    • Resources
      • Learning at Home
      • Educator Resources
      • Ocean Alive!
      • Glossary of Terms
      • Research Ideas
  • Observatories
    • Observatories
    • Arctic
    • Atlantic
    • Pacific
    • Mobile Platforms
    • Infrastructure
      • Data Facilities
      • Platforms
      • Devices & Sensors
      • Cables & Connectors
    • Expeditions
      • Wiring the Abyss
      • Expedition Logs
      • Maintenance Processes
    • Notices
      • Information for Mariners
      • Alerts and System Status
  • Data & Tools
    • Data & Tools
    • Highlights
    • Data Quality
    • Preview & Download
      • Preview & Visualize
      • Data Download Tools
      • State of the Ocean Plots
      • Ocean Report Card
    • Apps & Services
      • Mobile Apps
      • OPeNDAP Web Services
      • Related Sources
      • Earthquake Data Dashboard
    • Data Help
      • Data Policy
      • Tutorials & Help Pages
      • Request Help
  • Sights & Sounds
    • Sights & Sounds
    • Terms of Use
    • Video
      • Live Video
      • Video Highlights
      • Video Archives
    • Images
      • Maps
    • Audio
      • Audio Highlights
      • Audio Archive
  • News
    • News
    • Stories
    • Newsletters
    • Calendar
    • Media Relations
      • Backgrounders
      • Downloads
      • In the News
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts

About Us

You are here

  1. Home

tsunami

Jan 19, 2022

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano

Distance was no barrier to Ocean Networks Canada’s (ONC) capacity to provide real-time critical data about the tsunami risk following an underwater volcano eruption in Tonga on Saturday, 15 January 2022. Nine thousand kilometres from the volcano, the ONC offshore sensors gathered a variety of data, informing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center alerts that go out to countries and territories in the Pacific and Caribbean regions.

This map of ONC's offshore NEPTUNE cabled networks shows arrival times of the tsunami waves caused by the Tonga volcano. Tsunami waves travel at ~800 kilometres per hour, the speed of a jet plane....

Read more

Tonga | tsunami | BPR | Bottom Pressure Recorder

Related Stories

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Hazards Beneath the Surface
Jun 6, 2018

Be Tsunami Prepared
Mar 27, 2018

Data from Alaska’s Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake and Tsunami
Jan 23, 2018

Real-time radar data spurs international gathering
Jul 26, 2017

Canadian scientist awarded for exceptional contribution to Earth science!
Aug 23, 2016

Nov 4, 2020

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities

For an uncomfortable couple of hours on Monday, 19 October—following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake off the coast of Alaska—British Columbia coastal communities held their breath awaiting confirmation of a possible tsunami. Fortunately, the strike-slip earthquake caused little damage and the resulting wave was minimal, but the episode served as a poignant reminder of the need to prepare for tsunamis.

Figure 1. One of thousands of sensors connected to Ocean Networks Canada’s internet-connected ocean observatory, this bottom pressure recorder gathers continuous real-time data about wave height and volume (depth 2195 metres).

Ocean Networks Canada...

Read more

tsunami | Public Safety | community | DEM | digital elevation modelling

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Hazards Beneath the Surface
Jun 6, 2018

Be Tsunami Prepared
Mar 27, 2018

Data from Alaska’s Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake and Tsunami
Jan 23, 2018

Real-time radar data spurs international gathering
Jul 26, 2017

A first anniversary for British Columbia’s community observatories
Mar 27, 2017

Apr 8, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami

56 years ago, the ‘Good Friday’ earthquake rocked the Gulf of Alaska, causing a major tsunami to roll across the Pacific Ring of Fire on the evening of 27 March 1964. Few in Tofino were aware of the magnitude 9.2 earthquake or the alerts being sent by the US tsunami warning centre. Three and a half hours after the shaking, a series of tsunami waves swept over beaches and strong currents scoured the Pacific northwest coastline (Figure 1). Being early springtime and late at night in a sparsely populated Tofino, the area suffered no fatalities or injuries and only minor damage was reported. The event was a wake-up call for a risk that was not well understood nor well prepared for.

...
Read more

tsunami | earthquake | Tofino | port alberni | alaska

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Drop, cover, and hold on
Nov 14, 2019

Expedition 2019: Highlights Story Map
Nov 14, 2019

Hazards Beneath the Surface
Jun 6, 2018

Be Tsunami Prepared
Mar 27, 2018

Data from Alaska’s Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake and Tsunami
Jan 23, 2018

Jun 6, 2018

Hazards Beneath the Surface

Underwater landslides, also known as submarine landslides, are mass movements of sediment that pose a threat to coastal regions and can have extreme consequences. In May, 100 scientists from over 20 different countries gathered in Victoria, British Columbia, to discuss the latest developments in the science behind these potentially devastating events.

A major submarine event occurred in Kitimat Inlet, located on the coast of British Columbia on 27 April, 1975. The slide started at the fjord sidewall continuing down the slope to the centre of the deep inlet (Figure 1). Debris travelled 5 kilometres down the inlet, displacing enough water to cause a local tsunami with waves 8 – 10 metres high,...

Read more

underwater landslides | tsunami | Martin Scherwath | submarine landslides

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Be Tsunami Prepared
Mar 27, 2018

Data from Alaska’s Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake and Tsunami
Jan 23, 2018

Real-time radar data spurs international gathering
Jul 26, 2017

Canadian scientist awarded for exceptional contribution to Earth science!
Aug 23, 2016

Mar 27, 2018

Be Tsunami Prepared

Deadly tsunamis may be rare, but if you live in a coastal community it’s important to be informed and prepared. On 27 March 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake off the coast of Alaska generated a series of seismic waves down the west coast of North America, causing multiple tsunami waves to funnel up the narrow Port Alberni Inlet. Thankfully, there were no casualties, but the disaster damaged buildings, downed phone and power lines, and had a lasting impact on the community.

Over the last few years, Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) has been working with provincial, national and international partners to develop innovative tsunami modelling, measuring, monitoring and reporting methods that supports the creation of more accurate tsunami detection and inundation maps. Partners include...

Read more

tsunami | preparedness

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Hazards Beneath the Surface
Jun 6, 2018

Data from Alaska’s Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake and Tsunami
Jan 23, 2018

Real-time radar data spurs international gathering
Jul 26, 2017

Canadian scientist awarded for exceptional contribution to Earth science!
Aug 23, 2016

Jan 23, 2018

Data from Alaska’s Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake and Tsunami

On 23 January 2018, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred in the Gulf of Alaska at 1:35 am PT. A tsunami warning was issued for the west coast of Canada and the United States. The tsunami warning was cancelled at 4:40 am PT.

Ocean Networks Canada’s (ONC) real-time sensors detected the earthquake and the subsequent small tsunami that rippled out across the northeast Pacific (Figure 1).

magnitude 7.9 Alaskan earthquake

Figure 1. The relative timing of the magnitude 7.9 Alaskan earthquake and the subsequent small tsunami as detected by ONC real-time sensors.

The resulting tsunami wave was relatively small because this was a strike-slip...

Read more

tsunami | earthquake | earthquake early warning | EEWS | Vancouver Island | alaska

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Drop, cover, and hold on
Nov 14, 2019

Expedition 2019: Highlights Story Map
Nov 14, 2019

From Cosmos to Core: Wiring the Abyss Expedition 2018
Sep 12, 2018

Wiring the Abyss Leg 2: 23 July – 3 August 2018
Jul 20, 2018

Jul 26, 2017

Real-time radar data spurs international gathering

In June 2017 Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) hosted a WERA high frequency oceanographic radar workshop to discuss “first ever” real-time data that detected tsunami waves when Typhoon Songda hit the west coast of Canada in October 2016, triggering a tsunami alert on the WERA system.

The storm caused Tofino’s Emergency Program Coordinator Keith Orchiston to close beaches in the famous surfing location. “It is always a hard decision to close beaches, but that day we decided to play it safe. Real-time data from an instrument like the WERA radar (Figure 1) would support critical and lifesaving decision making for coastal communities.”

...

Read more

WERA | radar | workshop | tsunami | data | Wave Radar | Tofino

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Haida Nation and ONC partnership expands small vessel traffic monitoring in territorial waters
Jul 21, 2021

Community Fishers: enabling citizen scientists to collect their own ocean data
Jul 20, 2021

Building TRUST to be FAIR: data stewardship for a sustainable ocean economy
Feb 5, 2021

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Coming soon: MINTED dynamic citation tool
Apr 8, 2020

Aug 23, 2016

Canadian scientist awarded for exceptional contribution to Earth science!

Congratulations to Dr. Kelin Wang for being elected a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), an international organization dedicated to advancing Earth and space sciences for the benefit of humanity.  Becoming a fellow of AGU is an honour provided to only 0.1% of AGU’s 62,000 plus members from over 140 countries.

Kelin and his students are studying the geodynamics of subduction zones, especially processes related to the generation of large earthquakes and tsunamis around the world. His models for earthquakes inform building codes, risk assessments, and tsunami preparedness along the Pacific coast of North America. This work is relevant to the tsunami research being done at Ocean Networks Canada (ONC).

...
Read more

Kelin Wang | AG | tsunami | earthquake | cascadia | Dawei Gao | subduction zone | hazard assessment | detection

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Drop, cover, and hold on
Nov 14, 2019

Expedition 2019: Highlights Story Map
Nov 14, 2019

From Cosmos to Core: Wiring the Abyss Expedition 2018
Sep 12, 2018

Hazards Beneath the Surface
Jun 6, 2018

Jun 10, 2016

Tsunami Models Used for Preparedness Exercise in Port Alberni

​

Ocean Networks Canada’s preliminary tsunami models for Barkley Sound and the City of Port Alberni were integrated into Emergency Management BC’s first ever full-scale earthquake and tsunami response exercise: Exercise Coastal Response in Port Alberni June 7 - 10.

Ocean Networks Canada in collaboration with University of Rhode Island has been developing new tsunami wave models for the area of Barkley Sound and the City of Port Alberni. New fault rupture models have been developed by Natural Resources Canada and University of Victoria personnel. Digital elevation models that reflect the morphology of these two areas have been developed in collaboration with NOAA-NCEI, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, GeoBC and the Alberni-Clayoquot...

Read more

tsunami | emergency | port alberni | modeling | wave models | emergency management BC | exercise | coastal response | #coastalresponse

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Hazards Beneath the Surface
Jun 6, 2018

Be Tsunami Prepared
Mar 27, 2018

Data from Alaska’s Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake and Tsunami
Jan 23, 2018

Real-time radar data spurs international gathering
Jul 26, 2017

May 10, 2016

A Canadian First: NOAA brings tsunami Digital Elevation Model training to Victoria, BC

When Kelly Carignan, University of Colorado scientist, visited Victoria, British Columbia for the first time in April 2016, she was surprised that no tsunami evacuation routes were posted in this coastal city. “In northern California you see a lot of tsunami hazard zone signs,” says Kelly.

Fortunately for Victoria, Kelly was in town to lead a ground-breaking workshop that will contribute to improved emergency preparedness efforts in Canada’s coastal communities.

...
Read more

tsunami | data | digital elevation modelling

Related Stories

Real-time tsunami data from the Tonga volcano
Jan 19, 2022

Haida Nation and ONC partnership expands small vessel traffic monitoring in territorial waters
Jul 21, 2021

Community Fishers: enabling citizen scientists to collect their own ocean data
Jul 20, 2021

Building TRUST to be FAIR: data stewardship for a sustainable ocean economy
Feb 5, 2021

Tsunami Monitoring and Public Safety for At-Risk Coastal Communities
Nov 4, 2020

Resilience through preparedness: remembering the 1964 ‘Good Friday’ tsunami
Apr 8, 2020

Coming soon: MINTED dynamic citation tool
Apr 8, 2020

Pages

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • next ›
  • last »
Subscribe to RSS - tsunami

 

Highlights

  • Audio
  • Data
  • Learning
  • Science
  • Video

Reading Room

  • Active Research
  • Backgrounders
  • FAQs
  • Glossary
  • News Briefs
  • News Stories
  • Newsletters
  • Publications

Cool Stuff

  • Apps
  • Digital Fishers
  • iBooks & e-Pubs
  • Live Video
  • Maps
  • Images
  • State of the Ocean

Data & Tools

  • Apps
  • Data Plots
  • Data Search
  • Data Policy
  • Data Help
  • OPeNDAP Web Services

Opportunities

  • Calendar
  • Educator Opportunities
  • Global Partnerships
  • Industry Network
  • Jobs
  • Staff List
  • Technology Services

Sites & Instruments

  • Arctic Sites
  • Northeast Pacific Sites
  • Salish Sea Sites
  • Notice to Mariners

Follow Us

Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn iconYouTube iconFlickr iconInstagram icon

Sign up for our newsletter

Feedback

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

                              

About Us | Contact Us | Media Relations | Legal Notices

©   Ocean Networks Canada. All rights reserved.  2474 Arbutus Road, Victoria, BC, V8N 1V8 | 1.250.472.5400