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OBservER OBSERVER
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Haida Gwaii
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Friday, May11, 1, 2015 Friday, September
Earthquake rattles Skidegate beds but fails to water woes startle nerves reach end
Back to School
By Stacey Marple Haida Gwaii Observer
Water restrictions tough on firefighters
The early morning of Friday April 24, By Stacey Haida Gwaii Marple was hit by an Earthquake of 6.1 Haida Gwaii Observer magnitude. No tsunami warnings were issued after the earthquake. The epicentre of the Weeks Haida Gwaii had downquake wasafter approximately 167 kmbeen south of the graded to a Level 2 drought, after being Village of Queen Charlotte. atSome Levelresidents 3 since June, the Skidegate Band of Haida Gwaii reported Councilshaking has finally objects and windows rattling, but no cancelled their or injuries were reported. serious damage self-imposed water As the islands of Haida Gwaii all have restrictions. unique geological qualities, the effects of an Skidegate’s earthquake canhad vary from island to island. been imposing Every community reported feeling the quake in water useways. restricdifferent Queen Charlotte Village which tions despite has a rock basethe didn’t feel the quake as much fact the restofof as thethat residents the northern parts ofMarshall Graham - Kyle Haida Gwaii’s island. Tlell andcomnorth is mostly a sand based munities werealmost not. every quake that happens. area and feels The village’s Shirley Wilson of Skidegate reported water supply feeling the earthquake. “I was sitting in my at Slarkedus lakethe house creak.” After bed when I heard had been dropping the initial creak she felt her bed start rocking throughout summer, and noticed the her unusually ornamentsdry rocking. “Theand at one point, measuring 40 inches below ornaments rocked for a while after the quake the spillway, one point. ThisObserver. left the “My stopped,” Ms.atWilson told the Skidegate Bandwho to enforce a mandatory son and brother were also in the house restriction of water usage that went as far as didn’t feel the earthquake at all.” toBarry not allow of washing Pagesrunning of Masset, directormachines of the and dishwashers, for a short time. District Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional Skidegate’s was officially said he felt thewater quakerestriction but because it was fairly calledheoffwasn’t Sept. too 1, but not without leavingheits short concerned. However, impression. working added, “ThisThe is a Skidegate reminder toBand everyisone to be to prevent any future water issues by perprepared.” forming upgrades to the dam looking Earthquakes are nothing newand to Haida into potential wells as a backup, as Gwaii. The quake comes just weeks well after as a developing a community emergency study identied Haida Gwaii as groundplan. zero shortage also event had its on forThe the water next major seismic oneffect the west Skidegate’s volunteer firefighters who had to coast. come up with imaginative ways to keep the This recent earthquake doesn’t qualify as community safe. the big one scientists predict, as it was smaller The department hadaftershocks to focus onafter unconthan even some of the the 7.7 ventional methods for fighting fires such magnitude earthquake in 2012. asThe initial attacks, using dry chemical same weekend that Haida Gwaiifire got extinguishers coupled ventilation in order to hit by this 6.1 tremor, Nepal was devastated minimize free burnevent. and buy firefighters time. by a 7.8 magnitude Earthquakes between a 6.0 and a 6.9 are WATERscale. on Page 2 considered a strong on See the Richter
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“We located a few potential sources ...”
Submitted photo Committee members of the Pulling Together Haida Gwaii Event demonstrate their teamwork abilities at the carving shed in the Stacey Marple photo Kay Centre. The group will be holding a fund raiser May 2. See full story on Page 3
Ariah Fenton shows off her best back-to-school smile and all the new supplies that go along with it.
Search and rescue suspended after Day 3
Numbers point to improved tourist season
By Quinn Bender Haida Gwaii Observer By Stacey Marple Haida Gwaii The search forObserver Kumdis Ilsand resident, Brent Hendren, was suspended With Haidafollowing Gwaii named of last weekend one ofone Haida National Geographic Traveler’s 20 Gwaii’s largest search and rescue must-see places in the world for 2015, operations in more than 25 years. and a devalued Canadian dollar, it is “I know for a fact that if he was no surprise that Haida Gwaii tourism alive out there we would have found appears to be on upswing. him. There’s noanchance we would Haida Gwaii visitor information cenhave missed him. The community tres have seen an increase in tourists should know we did everything we compared could to pastto years. possibly find him,” said Maureen Riddall the Visitor Chris Ashurst, SAR of manager with Information Centre in Queen Charlotte, Archipelago Ground Search and told the Observer earlier the season Rescue and deputy unit inleader with
Prince Rupert’s
“I“We know formore a fact had that if he than was alive demand we outcould there offer.” we would have found- James him.” Cowpar
that the VIC was already receiving Chris Ashurst calls for information -for 2016. The Queen Charlotte Visitor Information centre saw a total of 4261 people walk through their doorRescue. in the month of July, Massett Marine upMr. 28 per cent from July 2014. Hendren, 27, was lastAugust seen was up 18 per cent from 2014 with a rowing out to his Kumdis Island total ofrental 4,101 with visitors. cabin supplies Sunday
morning, April 18. He missed dinner plans with friends later that night. Premier Creek Tuesday Lodging, Masset also in The following Queen Charlotte, reported that they RCMP received a missing persons have noticed an increase in business report, which led to the discovery this Hendren’s year and are already receiving Mr. boat abandoned and bookings for the 2016 season. overturned south of Watun River Local fishing and trip guides near Pure Lakecharters Provincial Park. to“It Gwaii Haanas are also reporting an is strongly believed that Brent increase in business throughout the drowned when his rowboat capsized 2015 of tourist season. west Kumdis Island,” Mr. Ashurst Haida Style James said. “This isExpedition based on owner information Cowpar told the Observer that he has from witnesses, the location of the capseen, close to a 100 per cent increase sized vessel, and the distribution of his in his business summer. personal effectsthis along the shoreline. See TOURISM on Page 2 See SEARCH on Page 2
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