Photo: US Geological Survey
Three more earthquakes struck off the B.C. coast on Friday, July 5 in the morning that are associated with the July 3 magnitude 6.2 quake near Bella Bella.
The quakes, classified as as aftershocks, took place nearly 10 minutes apart around 6 a.m. What's more, the U.S. Geological Survey recorded that the first quake, off Bella Bella, had a magnitude of 5.6.
Earthquakes Canada says the second, west of Port Hardy measured 4.9, while the third west of Haida Gwaii, measured 4.7.
Automatic detection of seismic event: magnitude 4.9 - 5 Jul 5:51 PDT - PORT HARDY, BC region
— Earthquakes Canada (@CANADAquakes) July 5, 2019
The U.S. Geological Survey website shows all three occurred at a depth of between five and 12 kilometres and were centred near the northern tip of the Juan de Fuca plate, one of three plates of the earth's crust that meet off the B.C. coast.
Vancouver Is Awesome spoke with Thomas Song, owner of the Masset Oceanview Hotel, about whether he felt anything Friday morning.
"I didn't really feel anything," he said. "I wasn't aware that there were aftershocks this morning. No one I have spoken with here has mentioned anything to me about it."
Erika Gray, Office Manager, Shearwater Resort & Marina, Fishing Lodge, Denny Island, notes that she didn't feel the aftershocks, but she certainly felt the 6.2 quake on Wednesday.
"I could actually see and hear my dishing rattling in the kitchen," she reports. "At first I thought it was my husband goofing around and stomping his feet, but he wasn't doing anything. That's when it registered it was an earthquake."
Gray notes that although she felt the quake, there wasn't any damage to her home. In addition, she stated that she didn't feel the aftershocks this morning, and that she was up during the time that they took place.
Earthquakes Canada describes an 'aftershock' as an earthquake that takes place after a 'mainshock' - a larger earthquake. Aftershocks occur in the same general region as the "mainshock" and result from readjustments of stress at places along the fault zone. What's more, aftershocks may take place for several months after the 'mainshock,' depending on the size and depth of the quake.
British Columbia's emergency information site notes that none of the three quakes generated a tsunami and there have been no reports of damage or injuries.
No tsunami threat to #BC https://t.co/E8k4MymgrQ
— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) July 5, 2019
On Wednesday, July 3, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the B.C. coast followed by a second earthquake with a 4.0 magnitude.
The first, which is the strongest earthquake in B.C. this year, hit the Haida Gwaii archipelago region in the evening. The U.S. Geological Survey says the first earthquake hit around 9:30 p.m. local time.
With files from the Canadian Press.
