Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
National

3 minor earthquakes near Port Hardy

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Sep, 2023 10:40 AM
  • 3 minor earthquakes near Port Hardy

Three minor earthquakes rattled a seismically active area off British Columbia's coast on Sunday without causing any damages or triggering tsunami activity. 

Earthquakes Canada said a 4.0 magnitude quake was registered around 8:20 a.m. local time. Its epicentre was 185 kilometres west of Port Hardy, north of Vancouver Island.

This followed a 5.5 magnitude quake recorded at 4:30 a.m. and another 4.2 magnitude quake recorded about an hour and a half earlier near the same location.

The agency said it is currently monitoring a swarm of earthquakes far off the coast of northern Vancouver Island. There have been more than 30 temblors since Sept. 14, though none have been felt, with the largest being Sunday's 5.5-magnitude quake. 

Andrew Schaeffer, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, said seismic activity in that area is "completely common." 

He explained the quakes took place in a region called the Queen Charlotte Triple Junction, where three tectonic plates meet.

"As a result, we get quite a bit of seismicity in this area," Schaeffer said in an interview Sunday. "Sometimes it comes in swarms, sometimes it's just kind of continuous normal background seismicity."

Schaeffer said it is not possible to predict whether more will occur.

"It's not a function of weather or time of year, just sometimes the swarm will happen. Otherwise it's pretty normal for a magnitude 3.0 to pop off every month, at least, in that area and then sometimes we just get these bursts of activity."

There are no reports of any damage from Sunday's quakes and no tsunami is expected, Schaeffer said.

"For us on the west coast, (earthquakes) are just another reminder that we live in an active earthquake zone and let's be prepared."

He suggested people ensure they have an 'earthquake preparedness kit' on hand and formalize a family emergency plan so they are ready in the event of a natural disaster.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Assault in Kelowna, man faces charges

Assault in Kelowna, man faces charges
R-C-M-P say the incident happened on Wednesday afternoon when a male approached a female stranger as she walked along the sidewalk and swung at her, grabbed her hair and spit at her. The Mounties say several bystanders jumped in to help the victim who suffered minor injuries.  

Assault in Kelowna, man faces charges

B.C. phasing out single-use plastics, giving businesses six months to use inventory

B.C. phasing out single-use plastics, giving businesses six months to use inventory
Environment Minister George Heyman says the new regulation comes into effect in December and will cover plastic shopping bags, disposable food service accessories, degradable plastics and any packaging made of hard-to-recycle plastics.  

B.C. phasing out single-use plastics, giving businesses six months to use inventory

Racist rant at coffee shop

Racist rant at coffee shop
Vancouver police say a 57-year-old man has been charged after a racially motivated incident at a city coffee shop. They say it happened on Tuesday at a shop on West Pender and Abbott. The suspect has been charged with causing a disturbance.

Racist rant at coffee shop

Paragliding accident in North Okanagan

Paragliding accident in North Okanagan
A statement from Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP say the 63-year-old victim was an experienced paraglider. He had just taken off from a flight school near Lumby when police say he "suddenly and unexpectedly collided with the ground."  

Paragliding accident in North Okanagan

Hiker dies in West Vancouver

Hiker dies in West Vancouver
A hiker has died after plunging more than 60 metres from a path in Cypress Creek Canyon in West Vancouver. Police say the man -- in his 70s -- was hiking with a large group when he fell.

Hiker dies in West Vancouver

B.C. cargo flow should be back to normal in days after port strike, says researcher

B.C. cargo flow should be back to normal in days after port strike, says researcher
The union, which represents 7,400 workers in the job action that began July 1, has not yet commented on the pact. Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan said Thursday that the strike that had snarled trade worth billions was over and thanked both sides.  

B.C. cargo flow should be back to normal in days after port strike, says researcher