UPDATE 2 — 7.7-magnitude quake strikes Canadian island, tsunami warnings issued

October 27, 2012, 8:37 pm

≫ Next: UPDATE 3 — Small tsunami recorded at sea after 7.7 quake off Canada

VANCOUVER (BNO NEWS) -- A powerful and shallow earthquake struck the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia on Saturday evening, seismologists and witnesses said, prompting a tsunami warning for coastlines in Canada and Alaska. It was not immediately known if a tsunami was generated.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake at 8:04 p.m. local time (0304 GMT Sunday) was centered on Moresby Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands, or about 199 kilometers (124 miles) south-southwest of the Canadian port city of Prince Rupert. It struck about 17.5 kilometers (10.9 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

It was not immediately known if a tsunami was generated, but the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning due to the size of the earthquake. The warning is in effect for the coastal areas of British Columbia and Alaska from the northern tip of Vancouver Island, B.C. to Cape Decision, Alaska.

"Tsunami warnings mean that a tsunami with significant widespread inundation is imminent, expected or occurring," the center said in a bulletin. "Warnings indicate that widespread dangerous coastal flooding accompanied by powerful currents is possible and may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival."

The initial earthquake was followed by an aftershock about ten minutes later, at 8:14 p.m. local time (0314 GMT Sunday), according to the USGS. It said the aftershock, which had a preliminary magnitude of 5.8, was centered just off Moresby Island. It struck at a depth of approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

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UPDATE 3 — Small tsunami recorded at sea after 7.7 quake off Canada

October 27, 2012, 9:27 pm

≫ Next: UPDATE 4 — Small tsunami waves hit B.C., Alaska after 7.7 quake

≪ Previous: UPDATE 2 — 7.7-magnitude quake strikes Canadian island, tsunami warnings issued

VANCOUVER (BNO NEWS) -- A powerful and shallow earthquake struck the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia on Saturday evening, generating a small tsunami, seismologists and witnesses said. Tsunami warnings remain in effect for coastlines in Canada and the U.S. state of Alaska.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake at 8:04 p.m. local time (0304 GMT Sunday) was centered on Moresby Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands, or about 202 kilometers (126 miles) south-southwest of the Canadian port city of Prince Rupert. It struck about 17.5 kilometers (10.9 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The agency estimated some 2,000 people near the epicenter may have experienced "very strong" shaking which could result in moderate to heavy damage while around 18,000 others may have felt "strong" tremors. Computer models showed some damage is possible but the impact is likely to remain localized.

"A major earthquake occurred in the Haida Gwaii region," the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) said on its website. "It was felt across much of north-central BC, including Haida Gwaii, Prince Rupert, Quesnel, and Houston. There have been no reports of damage at this time."

A tsunami warning was quickly issued due to the size of the earthquake, and the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center later said a "small tsunami" had been recorded on a deep ocean pressure sensor. As tsunamis grow bigger in shallow waters, warnings remain in effect for the coastal areas of British Columbia and Alaska from the northern tip of Vancouver Island, B.C. to Cape Decision, Alaska.

Environment Canada also issued tsunami warnings for the same region, and the British Columbia Provincial Emergency Program warned people in the region to move to higher ground. "If you are in a low lying coastal area you are at risk and must move to higher ground or inland now," a bulletin said. "Do not return until directed to do so."

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UPDATE 4 — Small tsunami waves hit B.C., Alaska after 7.7 quake

October 27, 2012, 11:06 pm

≫ Next: UPDATE 5 — Powerful quake off Canada’s west coast triggers small tsunami

≪ Previous: UPDATE 3 — Small tsunami recorded at sea after 7.7 quake off Canada

VANCOUVER, B.C. (BNO NEWS) -- A powerful and shallow earthquake struck the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia on Saturday evening, generating small tsunami waves which hit coastlines in Canada and the U.S. state of Alaska, officials said. A tsunami warning is also in effect for Hawaii.

The agency estimated some 9,000 people near the epicenter may have experienced "moderate" to "strong" shaking which could result in light to moderate damage while around 103,000 others may have felt "light" tremors. Computer models showed some damage is possible but the impact is likely to remain localized.

A tsunami warning was immediately issued for nearby coastal areas, but additional warnings and advisories were issued nearly three hours later after small tsunami waves were recorded. The largest tsunami wave, relative to normal sea level, was a 50-centimeter (19.6-inch) wave off the coast of Langara Island in British Columbia.

As of 0600 GMT, tsunami warnings remained in effect for the coastal areas of British Columbia and Alaska from the northern tip of Vancouver Island, B.C. to Cape Decision, Alaska. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also issued a tsunami warning for Hawaii, warning that damaging waves could arrive after 10:28 p.m. HST.

Tsunami advisories were also issued for the coastal areas of British Columbia, from the Washington-British Columbia border to the northern tip of Vancouver Island, and for coastal areas of northern California and southern Oregon, from Gualala Point, California to the Douglas-Lane County Line, Oregon.

Environment Canada also issued tsunami warnings and advisories for the same region, and the British Columbia Provincial Emergency Program warned people in the region to move to higher ground. "If you are in a low lying coastal area you are at risk and must move to higher ground or inland now," a bulletin said. "Do not return until directed to do so."

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UPDATE 5 — Powerful quake off Canada’s west coast triggers small tsunami

October 28, 2012, 7:37 pm

≫ Next: 6.6-magnitude earthquake strikes off Canada’s west coast, no damage

≪ Previous: UPDATE 4 — Small tsunami waves hit B.C., Alaska after 7.7 quake

VANCOUVER, B.C. (BNO NEWS) -- A powerful and shallow earthquake struck a largely unpopulated island off Canada's west coast on Saturday evening, generating a small tsunami which hit coastlines in British Columbia, Alaska, along the U.S. West Coast, and in the U.S. state of Hawaii, officials said. There were no casualties.

The agency estimated some 9,000 people near the epicenter may have experienced "moderate" to "strong" shaking which could result in light to moderate damage while around 103,000 others may have felt "light" tremors. Computer models showed major damage was unlikely, and there were only reports of minor damage.

"A major earthquake occurred in the Haida Gwaii region," the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) said on its website. "It was felt across much of north-central BC, including Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlotte Islands), Prince Rupert, Quesnel, and Houston. There have been no reports of damage at this time."

A tsunami warning was immediately issued for nearby coastal areas, prompting thousands of people in the warning area to move inland or to higher ground. The largest tsunami wave near the epicenter, relative to normal sea level, was a 50-centimeter (19.6-inch) wave off the coast of Langara Island in British Columbia.

As small tsunami waves were being recorded along the coasts of British Columbia, Alaska, and the U.S. West Coast, a tsunami warning was issued several hours later for the U.S. state of Hawaii. The warning prompted more than 100,000 people to evacuate, but tsunami wave activity peaked at just 76 centimeters (2.5 feet) in Kahului on the island of Maui.

Saturday's earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in Canada. In November 2004, a strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off Vancouver Island, generating a small tsunami but causing no damage or casualties. The country's deadliest quake on record happened in 1774, when a powerful quake of unknown magnitude killed at least 300 people on the island of Newfoundland.

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6.6-magnitude earthquake strikes off Canada’s west coast, no damage

October 29, 2012, 8:59 pm

≪ Previous: UPDATE 5 — Powerful quake off Canada’s west coast triggers small tsunami

VANCOUVER, B.C. (BNO NEWS) -- A strong earthquake struck a largely unpopulated island off Canada's west coast on Monday evening, two days after a much larger earthquake triggered a small tsunami in the Pacific Ocean, seismologists said. No new tsunami alerts were issued.

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake at 7:49 p.m. local time (0249 GMT Tuesday) was centered just off Moresby Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands, or about 246 kilometers (152 miles) south-southwest of the Canadian port city of Prince Rupert. It struck about 9.7 kilometers (6 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) said the earthquake was felt on the Queen Charlotte Islands, which are also known as Haida Gwaii, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The USGS estimated some 5,000 people near the epicenter may have felt very light shaking, but said damage was unlikely.

Because earthquakes with a magnitude below 7 on the Richter scale do normally not generate tsunamis, neither the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center nor the Canadian government issued a tsunami warning. "An earthquake has occurred that is not expected to generate a tsunami," the center said in a bulletin.

On Saturday, a powerful and shallow 7.7-magnitude earthquake was centered on Moresby Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands. The quake was felt across much of north-central BC, but only minor damage was reported. Tsunami alerts prompted more than 100,000 people to evacuate in B.C., Alaska and the U.S. state of Hawaii.

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