Skip to content

Earthquake epicentre near Port Alice

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake that was felt from northern Vancouver Island to the Fraser Valley had an epicentre 80 kilometres south of Port Alice, the Provincial Emergency Notification System said Friday.
70035comox09Earthquake
The epicentre of an earthquake that rattled Vancouver Island on Friday was 80 kilometres south of Port Alice.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake that was felt from northern Vancouver Island to the Fraser Valley had an epicentre 80 kilometres south of Port Alice, the Provincial Emergency Notification System said Friday.

The quake struck around around 12:40 p.m.

"Our chandelier was swinging and the recliner (rocker chair) started to move," said former Courtenay mayor Ron Webber, who lives near downtown Courtenay. "It was rocking."

When asked how long it lasted, he said, " It seems like forever, but I guess it was just seconds."

Early reports indicate there was no significant damage. The West Coast Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre advised there was no danger of a tsunami hitting the B.C. coastline, although aftershocks are expected.

SFU geologist Brent Ward said the quake likely originated from stress built up due to the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate subducting under the North American plate. “This quake would have been most strongly felt in small communities on the west coast of Vancouver Island, such as Gold River and Zebalos, and possibly in Tofino and Ucluelet,” he said.

Keep checking our website for updates, and read the full story in Wednesday's Comox Valley Record.