6.4 quake strikes off Vancouver Island
Robert Matas, Mark Hume, Justine Hunter and Rod Mickleburgh
Globe and Mail Update
Published Friday, Sep. 09, 2011 3:55PM EDT
Last updated Friday, Sep. 09, 2011 6:12PM EDT
Source - Globe and mail
A 6.4 magnitude earthquake has struck off the west coast of Vancouver Island, with tremors felt as far away as Kelowna. The reading was downgraded from an initial report of magnitude 6.7.
The earthquake occurred at 12:42 pm P.T. about 18 kilometres under the surface of the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometres south of Port Alice, on Vancouver Island.
The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center did not anticipate any damage based on the earthquake magnitude, location and historic tsunami records. The Center did not issue a tsunami warning, an advisory or any warning at all for the U.S. or Canadian coasts. However, the centre advised that underwater landslides could cause “local tsunamis” at some coastal locations that experienced strong ground shaking.
Map: Vancouver quake location
Two hours after the quake, emergency officials said they had not received any reports of injuries or damage.
However geologist Brent Ward of Simon Fraser University the quake should be a “a good wake-up call” for British Columbians. “It should remind people to get their earthquake kits together and have a plan in place,” he said in an interview.
John Cassidy of Natural Resources Canada, told reporters that several dozen aftershocks were recorded in the hours after the earthquake and they were continuing throughout the afternoon. So far, the after-shocks have been logged at 4.9-magnitude or less. Mr. Cassidy said they could continue for a few days and reach magnitude 5.0 before they stop.
“This type of earthquake is relatively common,” he said. Earthquakes in this range are seen about every 10 years off the coast of B.C.
“The last time we had an earthquake like this was November, 2004,” he said. The earthquake at that time was a 6.6-magnitude in the same general area and caused no damage.
In the small coastal community of Zeballos, the quake prompted some residents to “throw their cats and dogs into the car and prepared to head out of town,” said Carolyne Withrow, who runs the local fuel dock. “It shook for about 40 seconds, then there was silence, then it went again, a little harder.”
Students were evacuated from the village’s elementary school, and many of the 500 residents quickly gathered at the designated emergency meeting grounds, a large, flat field towards the outskirts, where mayor Ted Lewis and the fire chief assessed whether any further action was required.
“They are now going door to door to make sure that everyone is okay,” said Ms. Withrow. So far, there are no reports of injuries or property damage, she said.
The impact of the B.C. quake was muted because the event occurred 26 kilometres below the surface, said geologist Brent Ward of Simon Fraser University. However, the rumbling could be enough to crack brick walls and plaster in nearby Gold River and Zeballos, he said .
The Friday quake should be a “a good wake-up call” for British Columbians, Mr. Ward said. “It should remind people to get their earthquake kits together and have a plan in place,” he said.
The earthquake was probably not a precursor of “the Big One”, he said. “In many cases, these are just a one-off. There could be minor after-shocks of magnitude 4 or 5,” Mr. Ward said.
Indeed, seismologists are warning to expect more tremors for the next couple of weeks. Garry Rogers of the Geological Survey of Canada said the quake was only lightly felt in some parts of Vancouver Island and the mainland. If the epicentre were further to the east, near Vancouver or Victoria, the quake was powerful enough to cause extensive destruction. “An earthquake of this size in an urban area could do a lot of damage,” he noted.
Keir Gervais, director of emergency operations for the Village of Port Alice, on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island, said when the tremor hit his community “the entire building shook, right down to the foundations.”
Mr. Gervais said the shaking lasted 20 to 30 seconds, but there were no immediate reports of property damage or personal injuries.
“Everybody in this office was calm, but the magnitude of it was surprising,” said Mr. Gervais. “The ground was shaking beneath your feet . . .everything was moving back and forth. It was like being on a carnival ride.”
In Port Hardy, RCMP Staff-Sgt. Anna Marie Mallard said she felt no tremors quake at the local RCMP detachment, but phone lines quickly lit up on the police switchboard, as members of the public called in to see whether there had been an earthquake. “I’ve also talked to our members in Port Alice and Port McNeill, and they felt it there. But so far, there are no reports of injuries or damage.”
The quake could be felt nearly 300 kilometres away in Vancouver. Emergency services received many reports of shaking in high rises in Vancouver, Mr. Cassidy said.
Robert Matas, Mark Hume, Justine Hunter and Rod Mickleburgh
Globe and Mail Update
Published Friday, Sep. 09, 2011 3:55PM EDT
Last updated Friday, Sep. 09, 2011 6:12PM EDT
Source - Globe and mail
A 6.4 magnitude earthquake has struck off the west coast of Vancouver Island, with tremors felt as far away as Kelowna. The reading was downgraded from an initial report of magnitude 6.7.The earthquake occurred at 12:42 pm P.T. about 18 kilometres under the surface of the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometres south of Port Alice, on Vancouver Island.
The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center did not anticipate any damage based on the earthquake magnitude, location and historic tsunami records. The Center did not issue a tsunami warning, an advisory or any warning at all for the U.S. or Canadian coasts. However, the centre advised that underwater landslides could cause “local tsunamis” at some coastal locations that experienced strong ground shaking.
Map: Vancouver quake locationTwo hours after the quake, emergency officials said they had not received any reports of injuries or damage.
However geologist Brent Ward of Simon Fraser University the quake should be a “a good wake-up call” for British Columbians. “It should remind people to get their earthquake kits together and have a plan in place,” he said in an interview.
John Cassidy of Natural Resources Canada, told reporters that several dozen aftershocks were recorded in the hours after the earthquake and they were continuing throughout the afternoon. So far, the after-shocks have been logged at 4.9-magnitude or less. Mr. Cassidy said they could continue for a few days and reach magnitude 5.0 before they stop.
“This type of earthquake is relatively common,” he said. Earthquakes in this range are seen about every 10 years off the coast of B.C.
“The last time we had an earthquake like this was November, 2004,” he said. The earthquake at that time was a 6.6-magnitude in the same general area and caused no damage.
In the small coastal community of Zeballos, the quake prompted some residents to “throw their cats and dogs into the car and prepared to head out of town,” said Carolyne Withrow, who runs the local fuel dock. “It shook for about 40 seconds, then there was silence, then it went again, a little harder.”
Students were evacuated from the village’s elementary school, and many of the 500 residents quickly gathered at the designated emergency meeting grounds, a large, flat field towards the outskirts, where mayor Ted Lewis and the fire chief assessed whether any further action was required.
“They are now going door to door to make sure that everyone is okay,” said Ms. Withrow. So far, there are no reports of injuries or property damage, she said.
The impact of the B.C. quake was muted because the event occurred 26 kilometres below the surface, said geologist Brent Ward of Simon Fraser University. However, the rumbling could be enough to crack brick walls and plaster in nearby Gold River and Zeballos, he said .
The Friday quake should be a “a good wake-up call” for British Columbians, Mr. Ward said. “It should remind people to get their earthquake kits together and have a plan in place,” he said.
The earthquake was probably not a precursor of “the Big One”, he said. “In many cases, these are just a one-off. There could be minor after-shocks of magnitude 4 or 5,” Mr. Ward said.
Indeed, seismologists are warning to expect more tremors for the next couple of weeks. Garry Rogers of the Geological Survey of Canada said the quake was only lightly felt in some parts of Vancouver Island and the mainland. If the epicentre were further to the east, near Vancouver or Victoria, the quake was powerful enough to cause extensive destruction. “An earthquake of this size in an urban area could do a lot of damage,” he noted.
Keir Gervais, director of emergency operations for the Village of Port Alice, on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island, said when the tremor hit his community “the entire building shook, right down to the foundations.”
Mr. Gervais said the shaking lasted 20 to 30 seconds, but there were no immediate reports of property damage or personal injuries.
“Everybody in this office was calm, but the magnitude of it was surprising,” said Mr. Gervais. “The ground was shaking beneath your feet . . .everything was moving back and forth. It was like being on a carnival ride.”
In Port Hardy, RCMP Staff-Sgt. Anna Marie Mallard said she felt no tremors quake at the local RCMP detachment, but phone lines quickly lit up on the police switchboard, as members of the public called in to see whether there had been an earthquake. “I’ve also talked to our members in Port Alice and Port McNeill, and they felt it there. But so far, there are no reports of injuries or damage.”
The quake could be felt nearly 300 kilometres away in Vancouver. Emergency services received many reports of shaking in high rises in Vancouver, Mr. Cassidy said.