Monday, February 06, 2023

B.C. rattled by a 3.9-magnitude earthquake, shaking reported

B.C. rattled by a 3.9-magnitude earthquake, shaking reported

A minor earthquake struck B.C. on Saturday evening, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The earthquake occurred 41.4 km northwest of Kimberley, B.C., and registered at a depth of 10 kilometres, the USGS said.

SEE ALSO: San Francisco Bay Area shaken by its largest earthquake since 2014

The tremor occurred around 8:39 p.m. PST on Saturday, Feb. 4., with many people taking to social media soon after to report the shaking.

While the earthquake was felt in Kimberley, there was no damage or injuries reported.

Earthquake hits Buffalo, NY, shaking felt in 

Niagara Falls, St. Catharines

At about 6:15 am on Monday, a small earthquake was strongly felt by many in the Buffalo, New York area. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGC) reported it as a 3.8 magnitude earthquake, centred 2 km east northeast of West Seneca.

"It is unknow yet if there is any damage from the earthquake," the U.S. National Weather Service stated.

Initial reports showed the quake had been felt as far north as Niagara Falls and St. Catharines.


According to Earthquakes Canada, who rated it as a 4.2 magnitude earthquake, it was "lightly felt in southern Ontario."

"There are no reports of damage, and none would be expected," Earthquakes Canada said

4.2-magnitude earthquake near Buffalo, N.Y., felt in southern Ontario

Mon, February 6, 2023 

Residents in Hamilton and across southern Ontario reportedly felt an earthquake Monday morning. (Bobby Hristova/CBC - image credit)

An earthquake near Buffalo, N.Y., with a preliminary magnitude of 4.2, was "lightly felt" in parts of southern Ontario Monday morning, according to Earthquakes Canada.

"I woke up to it," St. Catharines, Ont. resident Stephen Murdoch told CBC Hamilton.

Murdoch said his house shook around 6:15 a.m. ET.

"I felt what I guess you would consider a small jolt and continuous shaking …. about 15 to 20 seconds," he said.

The federal agency says it doesn't expect any damage would come from the reported earthquake, but said as of roughly 8 a.m., there were more than 200 reports of people in southern Ontario feeling the rumble, including in Hamilton, the Greater Toronto Area and as far as Quinte West, Ont., near Belleville.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the U.S. says the earthquake occurred in West Seneca, N.Y. and labelled it a 3.8-magnitude quake some three metres beneath the surface.

Musician Rich Jones said he felt the rumble in Hamilton.

"My dog started barking and the bed was shaking for a few seconds. Never felt an earthquake here before. Wild," Jones tweeted.

Earthquakes Canada last recorded an earthquake in Ontario in the Greater Sudbury area on Jan. 22, measuring 2.8 magnitude.

Earthquakes are generally caused by large segments of the earth's crust, called tectonic plates, continuously shifting, according to Earthquakes Canada.

The Southern Great Lakes Seismic Zone has a low to moderate amount of seismicity when compared to the more active seismic zones to the east, along the Ottawa River and in Quebec.

"It's an incredible event to live through … I can't imagine the ones of greater magnitude," Murdoch said.

"I think there's going to be a lot of discussion at water coolers across Buffalo and southern Ontario in terms of what happened this morning."

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