A 3.9 magnitude earthquake occurred approximately 60 kilometers south of Victoria on Wednesday, as confirmed by authorities. This seismic event is the most recent in a series of earthquakes felt in southwest British Columbia over the past two weeks. The earthquake’s epicenter was located in Olympic National Park, Washington state, and it occurred at around 4:18 p.m. PT.
Earthquakes Canada stated that the earthquake was lightly felt in Victoria, with no reports of any damage or expected damages. Officials encouraged individuals who experienced the quake to complete the “Did you feel it?” form on the Earthquakes Canada website.
Following a 4.7 magnitude earthquake near Sechelt on February 21 and a 5.0 magnitude earthquake on February 24 off the coast of Port Alice in northern Vancouver Island, a 4.1 magnitude earthquake was also recorded near Sidney on March 3. This winter has been notably seismic in southwest British Columbia.
The recent seismic activity has raised concerns among residents about emergency alerts post-earthquake. CBC’s investigation into the Earthquake Early Warning system and ways to optimize its effectiveness has become a subject of interest for many locals.