Three earthquakes shake B.C. coast; no tsunami or damage reported
Two quakes measured above magnitude 5.0 off Vancouver Island over 24 hours, with the strongest at 5.4. EmergencyInfoBC advised residents to stay ready.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Three earthquakes rattled off B.C.'s south coast within 24 hours Monday, with no tsunami warnings or damage reported.
The first quake measured magnitude 4.9 shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday, about 170 km from Port Hardy. Less than two hours later, a stronger magnitude 5.4 quake hit 207 km from Port Hardy. A third, magnitude 5.2, struck shortly after 2 a.m. Monday, 166 km offshore. No one reported feeling any of them.
These were the largest quakes recorded off the B.C. coast in at least the past 30 days. According to Earthquakes Canada, quakes measuring 5.4 or lower are often felt but rarely cause damage. EmergencyInfoBC advised residents in the region to remain ready to drop and take cover should another tremor occur.
Climate Ready B.C. noted that the province registers thousands of earthquakes on average each year. "Earthquakes that are strong enough to cause structural damage occur once per decade, on average," the agency said.
The facts
How many earthquakes hit off the B.C. coast, and what were their magnitudes?
Three earthquakes struck within 24 hours: a magnitude 4.9 quake shortly before 8 p.m. on Sunday, September 27, 2026; a magnitude 5.4 quake less than two hours later; and a magnitude 5.2 quake shortly after 2 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026.
Where did the earthquakes occur relative to Port Hardy?
The first quake was about 170 km from Port Hardy, the second was 207 km away, and the third struck 166 km offshore from the area.
Were there any reports of tsunami warnings or damage?
No tsunami warnings or damage were reported, and no one reported feeling any of the three earthquakes.
