Video: ONC’s Earthquake Early Warning System

The potential for earthquakes in British Columbia

How does earthquake early warning work?

What are the benefits of earthquake early warning?

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ONC’s Earthquake Early Warning System supports critical alerts before major shaking arrives.

Earthquake Early Warning

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ONC is developing a British Columbia solution for Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) capable of detecting earthquakes and issuing alerts before major shaking arrives at your location. ONC sensor data will be shared with government organisations to issue public alerts, and notifications can also be sent to operators of infrastructure.

EEW is a collaboration among government, academia, industry and communities, including ONC, Natural Resources Canada, Emergency Management BC, University of British Columbia, United States Geological Survey, and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.


Ocean Networks Canada’s Earthquake Early Warning System

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**Project Status Map:** Map showing sensor locations.

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British Columbia is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an active seismic region. Thousands of mostly small earthquakes are recorded annually by seismic sensors located across the province.

Many earthquakes occur near the Cascadia Subduction Zone where the Juan de Fuca and North American tectonic plates converge, a region capable of producing megathrust earthquakes.

ONC’s [Earthquake Data Dashboard](https://www.oceannetworks.ca/data/data-dashboards/earthquake-data-dashboard/) provides visual interactive earthquake information occurring around the world and in British Columbia.


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There are currently no known means to reliably predict earthquakes; however, seismic instruments can rapidly detect an earthquake and deliver an alert before ground shaking arrives.

Earthquakes release energy that travels through the Earth as seismic waves. Primary or ‘P’ waves travel faster than secondary or ‘S’ waves, which cause severe, damaging ground shaking. It is the ability to detect P-waves that enables EEW systems to deliver alerts before the later arrival of the S-waves.

P-wave detections on at least four sensors are rapidly and automatically used to calculate the earthquake epicenter and magnitude, as well as the arrival time and ground shaking intensity at the alert location. This alert notification allows people to take protective actions before the shaking hits.


Rapid alerts that signal incoming earthquake ground shaking can save lives, prevent injury and protect infrastructure. Even a few seconds of warning are enough to take protective and preventive measures.

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An interactive way to explore recent earthquakes near Vancouver Island and around the world. 


Earthquake Data Dashboard

BC Government Release

ONC EEWS 2-pager

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Earthquake early warning receives a big boost from the Government of British Columbia.

Ocean Networks Canada to coordinate earthquake early warning system for B.C. 

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ONC successfully deployed and connected the first of several earthquake early warning sensors on the Cascadia subduction zone. 