Earthquake was rare but totally normal, we’re told

How can you find out if you’ve been in an earthquake? For some in Medicine Hat, the first step was calling the family geologist.

Family and friends of Melissa Anderson flooded her inbox and telephone line in Germany on Thursday, where the Hat-native is completing PhD. research, to describe the tremors they felt shortly after an earthquake hit western Montana.

That was certainly talk of the town on Thursday.

Anderson told the News she’s not an expert — her specialty is undersea volcanic activity and plate-techtonics, a related field — but she relayed a basic explanation to allay fears.

Most Albertans have likely never felt a major earthquake before, she said, and probably wanted some reassurance.

“These are rare events but totally normal, and not unheard of,” she told the News, adding that most people only hear about major earthquakes occurring on well-known fault lines or in coastal areas.

This quake occurred in an intermountain seismic belt.

“Anytime you have mountains lifting up you have earthquakes,” said Anderson, citing about 1,000 earthquakes each year near Yellowstone in Montana.

Thursday’s temblor occurred further east, near Missoula however, in an area seismologists call the Lewis and Clark fault zone.

“This seems to have happened on an (previously) unmapped fault, which is interesting.”

She felt it would be unrelated to possible volcanic activity in the state or further west in Washington, or the possibility that oil and gas development caused destabilization.

“The chance of property damage in Medicine Hat, so far from the epicentre, is very low, so residents have no need to fear,” she said.

Quick ones

— A late release from city-contracted economic developer Invest Medicine Hat reveals that a new operation has set up shop at the 100,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Wittke. Red Arc Manufacturing comprises local principals Dustin Ziegenhagel and Ryan Hazelaar. They’re aggressively seeking out oilfield and other fab work.

— If Calgary wins a potential bid to host the 2026 Olympics, will they want the Saamis Tepee back?

— The Western Producer reports that for the first time canola acres are slightly larger than land set aside to grow wheat. That is likely the result of a winter price forecast already reversing course, according to analysts, and could be a “one-year wonder.”

— Correcting an item from last week, council will sit Sept. 18. That’s the same day nominations are due from candidates ahead of voting day on Oct. 16, which is also a Monday.

This week an article explored what council has left to grapple with before the term ends. The consensus opinion is not a whole lot, barring the unexpected.

And never say never... in 2013 the early October pre-election council sitting featured a debate on the a location of a new Veiner Centre and approving utility bill relief for properties damaged by flooding.

A look ahead

The city planning department is preparing to release its first draft of the Riverside area redevelopment plan at an open house on July 13.

100 years ago

Should the first Medicine Hat Stampede lead to the hiring of the first female police officer, council debated this week in 1917.

With large crowds and vigorous events planned, delegates from the local Social Service League and the National Council of Women argued “a lady police officer” to deal with female attendees would be proper and appreciated.

Much discussion revolved around the state of “social evil” in the city, a joust between Ald. Levesque and Mrs. Williamson of the women’s council.

“Words ran high and the arguments waxed on the acrimonious” reported the News, though councillors voted with one opposed to seeing if a female officer could be loaned from Calgary for the event.

In other business, council approved the drilling of one new gas well in the coming months, and agreed to pay up to $6 per foot.

In Ottawa, the lone labour member of parliament warned that a general strike might ensue if organized workers are not consulted on including a special tax on war profits in a conscription bill before the Commons.

In Seven Persons, six stores and the post office were destroyed by a fire. The $75,000 in losses would have been greater, reported the News, had reinforcements from the Medicine Hat brigade not arrived in a remarkably fast 45 minutes.