Dear editor,

What if a Japan-sized quake happened here?

How would we cope and what transportation and emergency services infrastructure would be left standing and usable?

One of our most dangerous ticking time bombs sits just off Richmond and many on Vancouver Island's east coast are unaware of its danger.

As the Fraser River empties into the Salish Sea (Georgia Strait) sediments drop out of the slowing water current and settle on the bottom. This has been happening for hundreds of years and a massive steep slope of loose material is waiting for a little shaking to slump into the depths of the sea.

The results of this slumping would cause a tsunami to be generated that would radiate out from the mouth of the Fraser River and smack into the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island. Reports indicate that this wall of water could be anywhere between one and 18 metres high. This could make Japan's five-metre tsunami look small in comparison.

Here in the Comox Valley, a large quake and subsequent  tsunami could mean that bridges over the Puntledge and Oyster rivers could very well be knocked out and low-lying Courtenay near the river gets flooded so it is impossible for those west of the Puntledge to access Comox and any of the three extensive primary medical facilities in the Valley, i.e.. the new Comox Valley hospital at Crown Isle, St. Joe's or the new military medical facility at CFB Comox.

But don't take my word for it, look it up on the Natural Resources Canada websites and/or Google. There are plenty of studies by reputable scientists touting this real danger and the possible outcome of a major shake here.

I know a little of what I speak, as I was on board the Canadian oceanographic research vessel during the conducting of some of these studies into this slope.

If the location of the new hospital is let stand, I suspect that there will be people who will die needlessly if this scenario happens due to lack of access to a medical facility.

I simply do not understand why we would allow all three of these primary health care facilities to be all located together where their access could be cut off from so many in a disaster?

VIHA, I can only guess you have considered this as you have not and apparently will not divulge your detailed reasonings to me or the public for your decision.

Of course, this could never happen here 鈥攔ight?

B. Funk,

Cumberland