Prizes Available Courtesy of Prepared BC
PRINCE RUPERT, APRIL 7th, 2025 – April 13th through 19th is Tsunami Preparedness week across BC – and Prince Rupert is once again joining our coastal neighbours in spreading awareness around local tsunami response. To get residents excited about honing their preparedness skills, we’re hosting a ‘high ground’ selfie and knowledge contest from Monday to Friday (April 13th – 19th). If you answer a question about emergency preparedness and/or submit a selfie at high ground, you’ll be entered to win one of several prizes generously donated by Prepared BC (see below for contest details).
“We’re taking the opportunity to remind the community that for Rupert residents, the best course of action during a Tsunami Warning or Alert is to head up and away from the waterfront, or if you’re at home, to stay there,” said Mayor Herb Pond. “There may be no immediate evidence of a surge of water at the shoreline, but currents can be fast and dangerous during tsunami events.”
“For Coastal people, the possibility of tsunamis is a reality we need to face head-on,” said Tamara Davidson, MLA for North Coast- Haida Gwaii. “The more prepared we are, the better, and it’s great that communities have found fun and educational ways to bring people together and rehearse best practices in case of a tsunami.”
Based on the City’s Tsunami study, completed in 2019, the areas at direct risk are those along the waterfront and strong currents at the water’s edge. All residential areas are at significant enough elevation to be considered high ground, except for Beach Place and Water Street, and those were only noted at risk of inundation in a major landslide-based tsunami event. This is why a primary focus is reminding residents to stay home in the event of a warning, and certainly to avoid waterfront areas.
The event, coordinated by PreparedBC across the Province and co-hosted by Prince Rupert is encouraging coastal residents of BC to get informed about tsunami preparedness, review your emergency kit or start one if you don’t have one, and have some fun in the process.
How do you participate? Check out the steps below:
- Follow @CityofPR on Facebook and watch for daily questions during the week. Direct Message the City with the correct response by midnight the day it's posted. Each correct response is one entry into the end of week draw.
- Take a selfie at high ground (our tsunami-safe location). Then, between April 13-19th post your selfie to Facebook tag @CityofPR and use the hashtag #HighGroundSelfiePR. A maximum of two entries is permitted per person, per day (one photo and one answer to an emergency knowledge related question).
- Wait and see! On April 20th we will draw for the five available emergency prize packs! (If you’ve only reached out by tagging the City, make sure to accept messages from us in your inbox that you’ve won)
Not sure where to take a selfie? Go to one of our tsunami-safe location(s) at:
- The corner of Dry Dock Road and 6th Avenue East
- The corner of Bill Murray Drive and Stiles Place
- The Rec Complex (our emergency muster station)
- Your house! (So long as you don’t live on Beach Place or Water Street– this counts as high ground. We’re making it easy for you.)
Visit princerupert.ca to learn more about:
- Prince Rupert’s evacuation route(s) away from the waterfront (but stay on Kaien Island!)
- Prince Rupert’s tsunami notification process
- Prince Rupert’s tsunami notification zone
Learn more about tsunami preparedness and what to put in your emergency kit:
BACKGROUND
Not sure what it means when you get an alert about tsunamis? There are varying levels of alerts issued – and generally Prince Rupert issues the lower levels of alert. See below for the different alert levels and what they mean:
Tsunami Warning – A tsunami warning is issued when a tsunami with the potential to generate widespread inundation is imminent, expected, or occurring. Warnings alert the public that dangerous coastal flooding accompanied by powerful currents is possible and may continue for several hours after initial arrival. Warnings alert emergency management officials to take action for the entire tsunami hazard zone. Appropriate actions to be taken by local officials may include the evacuation of low-lying coastal areas and the repositioning of ships to deep waters when there is time to safely do so. Warnings may be updated, adjusted geographically, downgraded, or canceled based on updated information and analysis.
Tsunami Advisory – A tsunami advisory is issued when a tsunami with the potential to generate strong currents or waves dangerous to those in or very near the water is imminent, expected, or occurring. The threat may continue for several hours after initial arrival, but significant inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory. Appropriate actions to be taken by local officials may include closing beaches, evacuating harbors and marinas, and repositioning ships to deep waters when there is time to safely do so. Advisories may be updated, adjusted geographically, upgraded to a warning, or canceled based on updated information and analysis.
Tsunami Watch – A tsunami watch is issued when a tsunami may later impact the watch area. The watch may be upgraded to a warning or advisory or canceled based on updated information and analysis. Emergency management officials and the public should prepare to take action.
Tsunami Information Statement – A tsunami information statement is issued when an earthquake or tsunami has occurred of interest to the message recipients. In most cases, information statements are issued to indicate there is no threat of a destructive basin-wide tsunami and to prevent unnecessary evacuations. Information statements for distant events requiring evaluation may be upgraded to a warning, advisory, or watch based on updated information and analysis.
A cancellation is issued after an evaluation of water-level data confirms that a destructive tsunami will not impact an area under a warning, advisory, or watch or that a tsunami has diminished to a level where additional damage is not expected.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Veronika Stewart, Manager of Communications, Engagement and Social Development
Office: (250) 627 0976
Cell: (778) 884 6285
Email: veronika.stewart@princerupert.ca