Large earthquakes occur off B.C. coast southwest of Port Hardy
Two major earthquakes occurred within 37 minutes of one another off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
The first, at magnitude 6.6, struck at 10:39 p.m. Pacific time on Sunday (October 21). It was 218 kilometres southwest of Port Hardy at a depth of 11 kilometres, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The second, at magnitude 6.8, happened at 11:16 p.m. Pacific time.
The USGS stated that it was 232 kilometres southwest of Port Hardy at a depth of 21 kilometres.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a statement that a "destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected".
Update (October 22):
The first two earthquakes were followed by four more quakes.
The third measured a magnitude of 6.5 at a depth of 10 kilometres in the same areas—this time 223 kilometres southwest of Port Hardy at 10:22 p.m.
That was followed by a 4.9-magnitude earthquake at 10:36 p.m., 223 kilometres southwest of Port Moody. It was at a depth of 17.8 kilometres.
The fifth earthquake was 202 kilometres southwest of Port Hardy at 11:13 p.m. It measured 4.3 magnitude and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres.
The sixth earthquake happened at 12:43 a.m. on October 21, measuring 4.4 magnitude and occurring 10 kilometres below the surface.
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