Second earthquake: magnitude 6.8 aftershock detected off BC coast

Map showing the locations of the epicentres of the first two earthquakes off the BC coast on October 21, 2018. (USGS)

UPDATE:

After a series of earthquakes hit off the west coast of Vancouver Island on Sunday night, a seventh earthquake has been reported this morning 225 km west of the town of Tofino, and 419 km west of Victoria.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The US Geological Survey (USGS) has detected a second major earthquake off the west coast of Vancouver Island, just minutes after the initial magnitude 6.6 quake at 10:39 pm PST.

The second earthquake – an aftershock to the evening’s first seismic event – was more powerful with a magnitude of 6.8. It struck at 11:16 pm PST in an area of the ocean located about 197 kms southwest of Port Hardy – approximately 20 kms away from the epicentre of the first earthquake. Its depth was slightly shallower at just 10 kms.

A third potent earthquake was detected in the same area only minutes later at 11:22 pm PST, measuring a magnitude of 6.5 and a depth of 10 kms.

No damage can be expected from these magnitude 6+ earthquakes given the open ocean epicentre locations of the seismic events, but had these occurred near or on land they could have created significant damage, especially with their shallow depths.

There was also a fourth earthquake at 11:36 pm PST, but it was far less powerful with a magnitude of 4.9 and a much deeper depth of 17.8 kms.

Tsunami warnings have not been issued for any of these earthquakes.

Tonight’s second tremor was the largest earthquake in BC since the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Haida Gwaii on October 27, 2012.

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