Life on Vancouver Island is desirable for many reasons: a lack of snow, stunning nature, easy access to rivers, lakes, and the ocean, and cute artsy towns, (like Ladysmith). Of all the good that comes from living on Vancouver Island, there is one persistent worry, the threat of earthquakes.
Dr. Quentin Goodbody, president of the Ladysmith District Historical Society has prepared a presentation on the historical precedence of earthquakes in the Vancouver Island region titled: Earthquakes & Ladysmith & Area. History, Reason, Risk & Why You Should Prepare.
Goodbody is a geologist and will share the geological and the historical aspect of earthquakes. His presentation also features Indigenous stories from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to California that tell the story of earthquakes generally, and of specific quakes.
“The talk is designed to give a bit of a historical perspective to earthquakes. Focusing on the last big one that was in January of 1700,” Goodbody said. “I look for the evidence for large scale earthquakes, because up until the 1980s it was thought large scale earthquakes didn’t happen here, but then research started showing that in fact they do happen here.”
His talk focuses mainly on ‘the Big One’, the famous mega-earthquake that would affect California to Vancouver Island in what is called the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Goodbody says ‘the Big One’ itself wouldn’t cause much damage to Ladysmith, but a series of aftershocks would.
“We will feel the effects of the Big One offshore, but because we’re several hundred kilometres east it’s going to be somewhat muted. We will have other earthquakes associated with stress release on land as well, and it’s the cumulative effect of a number of earthquakes which will affect us more than one particular earthquake,” Goodbody said.
The talk will take place Tuesday, January 14 at the Ladysmith Museum at 7:00 pm. The presentation is free for society members, and $5 for non-members. There will be an opportunity to renew memberships, or sign up for the first time at the event.