Magnitude 6.4 earthquake rattles B.C.’s northern coast

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the southern tip of B.C’s Haida Gwaii on Sunday, followed by a series of aftershocks.

According to Earthquakes Canada, the tremors were felt in Sandspit and Masset in the Haida Gwaii archipelago, parts of northern Vancouver Island including Port Hardy and Gold River, and as far as Terrace and Kitimat on B.C.’s mainland.

The National Weather Service Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii says there is no threat of a tsunami from the earthquake.

Victoria-based seismologist John Cassidy with Natural Resources Canada, said seismic activity began earlier in the day, with the first magnitude 3.0 quake at 2:37 p.m., followed by a magnitude 4.2 shortly thereafter.

The main quake, recorded as a magnitude 6.4, occurred at 3:22 p.m about 200 kilometres south of Sandspit, B.C.

“It is one of the most seismically active zones in Canada,” Cassidy told CBC News, adding that while small quakes occur almost on a daily basis in the area, larger events like this one are less frequent.

He said that while the tremors were felt across a broad area, the region where the quake struck is sparsely populated.

“It’s about 200 kilometers from the any of the larger communities,” the seismologist said. “Damage for those few people living very close, there may have been items knocked off of shelves.”

Doug Neasloss, chief councillor for Klemtu, north of Bella Bella, said community members felt the tremors.

“Everything is normal, just felt a bit of a shake,” Neasloss said.

Ben Wilson, the food and beverage manager at the Willows Golf Course in Sandspit, said he was home on his break when he felt the ground shake, long enough to know what it was, but not long enough to concern him. 

“This one was definitely more noticeable than some, but not by any means, the biggest one I’ve ever felt here.”

Earthquakes Canada has warned that aftershocks are expected in the coming days.