Skip to content

Quake hits off northwestern Vancouver Island

No damage as moderate earthquake shivers off northwestern Vancouver Island
2321BCLN2007EarthquakenearVancouverIsland
A 5.7-magnitude earthquake was recorded off the northwest coast of Vancouver Island on Thursday morning.

By The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER - A moderate earthquake has been recorded off the northwest tip of Vancouver Island.

Natural Resources Canada says it hit at 6:48 Thursday morning.

It was centred in the Queen Charlotte fault region, about 200 kilometres west of Port Hardy.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres and had a magnitude of 5.5, although Natural Resources Canada lists a preliminary magnitude of 5.7.

All experts agree the quake would only have been lightly felt and would not have caused any damage or spawned any damaging waves.

The geological survey says more than 150 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater have occurred along this fault line over the last 40 years, but only a handful, including two off Haida Gwaii in 2012 and 2013, were strong enough to be felt or cause damage.