6.4 magnitude earthquake in Vancouver Island, Canada, minimal damage, leaves people unhurt

Yesterday the USGS reported a 6.4 magnitude earthquake at 12:41 PDT.   For many, it brought back memories of the 1946 earthquake that hit Vancouver Island at a magnitude of 7.3 that was Canada's largest onshore earthquake.  The Vancouver Sun reports:

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the coast of northern Vancouver Island Friday, shaking and rattling Metro Vancouver highrises and parts of B.C., but otherwise leaving the province fairly unscathed.

Chris Duffy, director of operations for Emergency Management B.C., said there were no reports of injuries or damages as a result of the quake, which struck just after 12: 30 p.m., about 80 kilometres south of Port Alice, sending dozens of aftershocks as big as 4.9 across B.C. and a slight rattling as far as Seattle, Wash.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a warning, saying there was "no destructive widespread tsunami threat." It did however warn authorities to be prepared for local tidal swells.

In the tiny Vancouver Island community of Zeballos, Arlene Coburn was at the local school when the power flickered off and then on quickly. She said that it felt like the whole building was going to topple over, but nothing fell off the walls. "One big one, and a little tremor, and that was it," she said. "It gave [the school] a good sway."

Seismologists say this is a relatively common occurrence for this area, occurring on average once every ten years.

Dakota O'Leary

Dakota O'Leary is a freethinker, and often sassy, scholar of theology and literature. She got her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Theology from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, and her Master of Arts degree in Theology and Literature from Antioch University-Midwest. She is a contributing writer focusing on eschatology, biblical prophecy, and general religious news. Dakota is a co-host of the God Discussion radio show, offering insight to the news stories of the week. We like to call her "our in-house Biblical prophecy expert" as her articles on eschatology have received over 200,000 views on God Discussion.

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  • http://pauldabbs.ca Rich

    I was at work Friday in southern Vancouver Island when this one hit and didn't feel a thing. It is hard to believe that a earthquake that size could make so little damage. It is fortunate it was in a mostly low / unpopulated area. Had it been in Vancouver it would have been far different.