Earthquakes Canada says a 4.9 magnitude earthquake was recorded Sunday afternoon and public reports poured in from hundreds of kilometres away from the event害羞草研究所檚 epicentre.
John Cassidy, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, says people over a 害羞草研究所渧ery wide region害羞草研究所� of the province have reported feeling the earthquake, which hit just before 3:30 in the afternoon.
Cassidy says the quake was felt by people across northern and central Vancouver Island, and as far away as Kelowna, more than 350 kilometres from the quake害羞草研究所檚 epicentre.
He says it hit a remote region about 222 kilometres north-northwest of Vancouver.
EARTHQUAKE Mag=4.9 on 17 Dec at 15:23 PST.
害羞草研究所� Earthquakes Canada (@CANADAquakes)
Details :
137 km WNW of Pemberton, BC
Many residents across the province took to social media, sharing their experiences on various platforms.
Among them are Comox Valley residents Lia Lavoie-Bartlett and Jessica Labbe.
害羞草研究所淚t really wasn害羞草研究所檛 much,害羞草研究所� Lavoie-Bartlett said. 害羞草研究所淢y daughter had fallen asleep on me on the couch and I felt a low rumble. I have felt other earthquakes in the past and this was very mild. I wondered if it was something going on in the lower units of my apartment but then saw the Facebook post!害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e were at home and heard our cupboards rattling a bit,害羞草研究所� Labbe said. 害羞草研究所淚 was sitting down at the time and felt a slight back and forward movement. It was fairly short.害羞草研究所�
Cassidy says seismic events in that part of the province are 害羞草研究所渞elatively rare,害羞草研究所� with the last quake in the area around the same magnitude hitting in 2017. He says Sunday害羞草研究所檚 quake wasn害羞草研究所檛 a complete surprise since the province害羞草研究所檚 coastal areas are an active earthquake zone, but the largest and most frequent earthquakes occur offshore.
害羞草研究所淔or this size of an earthquake, aftershocks are expected,害羞草研究所� Cassidy said in an interview. 害羞草研究所淚n fact we are recording a number of small aftershocks at this time. So the largest that we害羞草研究所檝e seen so far is about a 2.6 magnitude.害羞草研究所�
Cassidy said aftershocks can happen hours or even days after such quakes, but tend to drop off in frequency 害羞草研究所渁s time goes on.害羞草研究所�
He said Sunday害羞草研究所檚 earthquake was minor in the 害羞草研究所済lobal scheme of things,害羞草研究所� but said it害羞草研究所檚 important to be prepared for earthquakes nonetheless. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 really a good reminder that we are in an active earthquake zone,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey don害羞草研究所檛 happen very often, but when they do happen, it害羞草研究所檚 important to know what to do, to drop, cover and hold on.害羞草研究所�
Cassidy said the province is getting an early-warning system for earthquakes that害羞草研究所檚 been under development by Natural Resources Canada, similar to systems in place in California, Oregon, Washington, Japan and Mexico.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been a very successful undertaking,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the type of automated system that would let you know that an earthquake has occurred and that shaking is on its way, and so the farther away you are, the more time that you would have. So it害羞草研究所檚 an opportunity, you know, in hospitals for surgeons to put down their scalpels.害羞草研究所�
