Magnitude 3.2 earthquake detected in the Strait of Georgia

Jun 9 2018, 2:35 am

A tremor measuring magnitude 3.2 was detected in the Strait of Georgia this morning near Saturna Island.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 10:09 am just off the northern coast of the island chain. Its epicentre was 20 km south-southwest of Point Roberts.

But it is likely very few people felt it for a number of reasons. These include its relatively low magnitude, secluded location, and its very deep depth of 58.2 km.

Hundreds of earthquakes strike BC every year, but only a small fraction of these seismic events measure a magnitude of greater than 3.0.

Furthermore, most of these earthquakes occur west of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii on the Pacific subduction zones. Very few earthquakes with a magnitude of over 3.0 have an epicentre east of Vancouver Island in the Strait of Georgia.

Research shows a crustal earthquake with a magnitude of up to 7.0 could be generated in the Georgia Basin while the megathrust earthquake off the coast of BC could create an event with a magnitude as high as 9.0.

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DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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