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Fort St. John earthquake comes days before provincial earthquake drill

The minor earthquake in Fort St. John last night comes just before a province-wide earthquake drill.

A minor earthquake was reported near Fort St. John late last night and while the thankfully low 3.2 magnitude quake hasn't sparked any reports of injuries, it provides a good reminder to be prepared for emergencies ahead of ShakeOutBC's big event tomorrow morning.

At 10:18 a.m. on Oct. 18, individuals and groups have pledged to participate in a B.C.-wide earthquake drill called the Great British Columbia ShakeOut. The message from Emergency Management BC is that in the event of an earthquake you should Drop, Cover and Hold.

Information literature from the Kitimat Emergency Program says that when an earthquake happens you should drop to your knees before the earthquake knocks you over. Then cover your head and neck — entire body if possible — under a sturdy desk or table. Without that nearby, you should get to a nearby interior wall and cover your own head and neck.

From then, simply hang on to your shelter or your head and neck until the shaking stops.

Many people from Kitimat have signed on to participate in the Shake Out and more information on the program, and the ability to register for it, is available online at the ShakeOutBC website.