Updated: fourth earthquake, 6.0-magnitude, strikes off north end of Vancouver Island

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      Update 4:

      A seventh earthquake, and the largest one yet, struck on December 24, west of northern Vancouver Island. It was followed by two aftershocks on December 25.

      Update 3:

      A sixth earthquake struck the island of Haida Gwaii at 9:32 p.m. For more information, see this article

      Update 2:

      A fifth earthquake occurred at 3:38 p.m. For more information, see this article.

      Update 1: 

      After three earthquakes struck off the northern end of Vancouver Island this morning (December 23), a fourth quake has just hit this afternoon.

      The fourth seismic event occurred at 12:56 p.m.

      Both Earthquakes Canada and the U.S. Geological Survey measured it as a 6.0-magnitude quake, matching the size of the one preceding it.

      The epicentre, at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), was located 186 kilometres (116 miles) west of Port Alice, 315 kilometres (195 miles) northwest of Tofino, 325 kilometres (202 miles) west of Campbell River, and 513 kilometres (132 miles) northwest of Vancouver.

      Earthquakes Canada said that a tsunami threat is not expected, and there haven’t been any report of damage.

      A fourth earthquake, measured as 6.0-magnitude, struck at 12:56 p.m.
      Earthquakes Canada

      Original article:

      While numerous earthquakes occur off the northern end of Vancouver Island, a series of notable offshore temblors in increasing intensity, larger than the ones that have taken place over the past few months, struck the region this morning.

      The first offshore quake hit 166 kilometres (103 miles) west of Port Hardy today (December 23), at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) at 8:44 a.m.

      Earthquakes Canada reported it as a 5.1-magnitude seismic event while the U.S. Geological Survey reported it as 5.2-magnitude.

      The first offshore tremblor hit at 8:44 a.m. today (December 23).
      U.S. Geological Survey

      That was followed a few hours later by another quake, 170 kilometres (106 miles) west of Port Hardy at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) at 11:13 a.m.

      Earthquakes Canada measured this second one as a 5.6-magnitude seimsic event while the U.S. Geological Survey reported it as 5.7-magnitude.

      The second quake hit at 11:13 a.m. today (December 23).
      U.S. Geological Survey

      Then the largest of the three hit today (December 23) at 11:49 a.m., 175 kilometres (109 miles) west of Port Hardy.

      The U.S. Geological Survey measured it as a 6.0-magnitude seismic event while Earthquakes Canada reported it as 5.8-magnitude.

      The epicentre, at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), was located 332 kilometres (206 miles) northwest of Tofino, 339 kilometres (210 miles) west of Campbell River, and 515 kilometres (320 miles) northwest of Vancouver.

      Earthquakes Canada stated that there were no reports of damage and none are expected, a tsunami threat was not expected.

      The seismically active area experiences earthquakes in the range of 4.0- to 5.0-magnitude every few months. 

      These earthquakes follow two offshore quakes (5.2- and 3.8-magnitude) that struck near the Alaska Panhandle coastline west of northern B.C. on December 18.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook

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