Nearly 2,000 Earthquakes Rattled Canada's West Coast in a Single Day
A sign of a new oceanic crust forming?
M43 - 190 km SW of Port Alice BC - offshore M39 - 252 km WSW of Tofino BC
Almost 2,000 earthquakes rocked a spot off the coast of Canada in a single day earlier this month, which could be a sign that new oceanic crust is forming, according to Natural Resources Canada.
The earthquakes, which ranged in magnitude from 2.5 to 4.5, occurred on January 23 about 250 kilometers west of Tofino, B.C., and 190 kilometers southwest of Port Alice, B.C.
Natural Resources Canada seismologist John Cassidy said the swarm of earthquakes is unusual, and it's possible that it's a sign that new oceanic crust is forming.
"It's a very active area tectonically," Cassidy said. "The Juan de Fuca Plate is subducting beneath the North American Plate, and that's creating a lot of stress and strain in the area."
Cassidy said the earthquakes are not a cause for concern, and there is no risk of a tsunami.
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