Shaking felt across southwest B.C. after 5.4-magnitude earthquake hits coast
A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck B.C.’s Sunshine Coast on Friday, shaking homes and prompting a number of emergency alerts across the Lower Mainland but stopping short of any major damage.
The earthquake hit near the seaside community of Sechelt just before 1:30 p.m. PT, according to Earthquakes Canada.
Despite being widely felt from Vancouver Island to Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, officials said nobody reported any injuries or structural issues aside from some cracking drywall or burst pipes.
A number of people said it was the most prominent earthquake they’d experienced in some time.
“I heard a loud boom, I felt the house shake,” said Jackie Graham, who lives on the banks of the Puntledge River in Courtenay, a Vancouver Island city west of Sechelt.
“My first thought was that a tree had fallen on the house.”
Adults at work and children in schools said they jumped under their desks once they realized the ground was shaking, as they’d practiced in earthquake drills. Others grabbed their pets and wallets before running outside.
The manager of an IGA grocery store in Sechelt said staff and customers hustled out of the building.
“In the past, we’ve had someone drive into the mall, and it was a similar feeling, but it slowly increased. And it lasted what felt like, yeah, 10 to 20 seconds,” Derek Bland told CBC News. “So everyone kind of shuffled to the front door frame and made their way out, went to our muster station in the middle of the parking lot.”
B.C. Ferries briefly evacuated and inspected its Horseshoe Bay terminal in West Vancouver, which is a major link between the mainland, Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.
“Inspections have now been completed, and customers and staff are returning to the terminal. Safety is always our top priority, and we appreciate everyone’s patience during this process,” read a statement, which warned some sailings might be delayed.
How rare is an earthquake of this magnitude in B.C.? Our meteorologist explains
Earthquakes Canada measured the magnitude at 5.4 after a preliminary measurement of 5.1, which both fall under the scope of a medium earthquake in terms of strength and potential impact. Shaking was felt as far as Peachland, in B.C.’s Okanagan, and Washington state.
It triggered the Canadian Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system, which gives people a few extra moments’ notice before strong shaking hits their area. It’s an alert sent to local cell towers, radios and TVs automatically, so it should reach locals and visitors as long as they’re in the zone — no need to sign up.
People who are further from the epicentre shouldn’t expect an EEW alert, since it’s only for areas where the shaking could hurt someone. In an email, Natural Resources Canada said it would be investigating reports from people who did not receive alerts as they should have on Friday.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured the earthquake at magnitude 4.8. There are often discrepancies between Canadian and American seismographs as experts work to confirm official numbers.
Earthquakes Canada said a magnitude-1.9 aftershock hit at 2:40 p.m. PT.
Tower cam captures earthquake from Vancouver
Sheri Molnar, an associate professor at Western University in London, Ont., who studies seismic activity in Metro Vancouver, said the region experiences what’s called a “felt earthquake” every decade or so — pointing to the 4.7-magnitude earthquake near Sidney on Dec. 29, 2015 and the 6.8-magnitude Nisqually earthquake on Feb. 28, 2001.
“You should always be ready for an earthquake. We’re not ready for a very strong earthquake and we’re not ready for an earthquake that would cause damage … but it can happen,” Molnar said.
Emergency Info B.C., the provincial government organization that offers updates during crises, said there is no tsunami threat. Officials from various levels of government across the province said the earthquake should serve as a reminder to prepare an emergency kit and create a family plan.
In Fault Lines, seismologist Johanna Wagstaffe takes you through two disastrous scenarios so you can prepare yourself, your family, and your neighbours in the event of an earthquake. Download Fault Lines now on CBC Listen, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.
Senior Writer
Rhianna Schmunk is a senior writer covering domestic and international affairs at CBC News. Her work over the past decade has taken her across North America, from the Canadian Rockies to Washington, D.C. She routinely covers the Canadian courts, with a focus on precedent-setting civil cases. You can send story tips to rhianna.schmunk@cbc.ca.
With files from Karin Larsen
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