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含羞草研究社檚 epicentre.
John Cassidy, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, says people over a 含羞草研究社渧ery wide region含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 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.
含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淚t really wasn含羞草研究社檛 much,含羞草研究社� Lavoie-Bartlett said. 含羞草研究社淢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!含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲e were at home and heard our cupboards rattling a bit,含羞草研究社� Labbe said. 含羞草研究社淚 was sitting down at the time and felt a slight back and forward movement. It was fairly short.含羞草研究社�
Cassidy says seismic events in that part of the province are 含羞草研究社渞elatively rare,含羞草研究社� with the last quake in the area around the same magnitude hitting in 2017. He says Sunday含羞草研究社檚 quake wasn含羞草研究社檛 a complete surprise since the province含羞草研究社檚 coastal areas are an active earthquake zone, but the largest and most frequent earthquakes occur offshore.
含羞草研究社淔or this size of an earthquake, aftershocks are expected,含羞草研究社� Cassidy said in an interview. 含羞草研究社淚n fact we are recording a number of small aftershocks at this time. So the largest that we含羞草研究社檝e seen so far is about a 2.6 magnitude.含羞草研究社�
Cassidy said aftershocks can happen hours or even days after such quakes, but tend to drop off in frequency 含羞草研究社渁s time goes on.含羞草研究社�
He said Sunday含羞草研究社檚 earthquake was minor in the 含羞草研究社済lobal scheme of things,含羞草研究社� but said it含羞草研究社檚 important to be prepared for earthquakes nonetheless. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 really a good reminder that we are in an active earthquake zone,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭hey don含羞草研究社檛 happen very often, but when they do happen, it含羞草研究社檚 important to know what to do, to drop, cover and hold on.含羞草研究社�
Cassidy said the province is getting an early-warning system for earthquakes that含羞草研究社檚 been under development by Natural Resources Canada, similar to systems in place in California, Oregon, Washington, Japan and Mexico.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been a very successful undertaking,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 an opportunity, you know, in hospitals for surgeons to put down their scalpels.含羞草研究社�
