Earthquakes hit Lower Mainland in northern B.C

According to Earthquakes Canada, a magnitude 3.5 earthquake near Tsawwassen, B.C., struck the Lower Mainland on Friday morning, hours before a magnitude 4.2 earthquake in northern B.C. rocked Fort St. John.

While residents report feeling the first quake, Earthquakes Canada says there are no reports of damage from any of the quakes and that no damage is expected from earthquakes of this magnitude.

“(The earthquakes) would feel like a truck hitting a curb in front of your house. Your whole house could kind of shake and there would be a loud banging sound,” said Brindley Smith, a seismic analyst with Natural Resources Canada.

According to Earthquakes Canada, the first earthquake struck just after 2 a.m. PT in the Strait of Georgia, about 29 kilometers southwest of Vancouver and 17 kilometers west of Tsawwassen.

Smith initially said it was a magnitude 3.8 earthquake, before better modeling helped the agency determine the quake was of a smaller magnitude.

Residents report feeling the earthquake on Vancouver Island, between Nanaimo and Victoria. People in the Lower Mainland also reported feeling the quake.

An interactive map of Earthquakes Canada shows where residents report feel the earthquake.

Others took to social media to talk about the quake – including Vancouver Coun. Peter Meiszner.

The second earthquake struck around 5 a.m. MT, about 39 miles (63 kilometers) west of Fort St. John.

Another interactive map from the agency shows that residents near that city felt the quake slightly.

The occurrence of two earthquakes in a row is a coincidence, Smith said.

“It’s actually just pure coincidence,” he said. “It’s just the way seismicity works. It’s very random.”

Smith said the earthquakes could trigger smaller earthquakes, but nothing of equal or greater magnitude.

“We wouldn't associate this with 'The Big One,'” he said. “People there can be sure that there will be no major changes as a result.”

VIEW | What will happen under Vancouver when “The Big One” strikes?:

What happens beneath Vancouver when “The Big One” strikes?

We've all been told to prepare for “The Big One” – a massive earthquake that's expected to wreak havoc on the Lower Mainland. Although the damage will be severe, not every part of the region will be equally affected. Darius Mahdavi has teamed up with some researchers who are creating detailed mapping that shows the risk at a more granular level.

Are we ready for “The Big One”?

CBC Vancouver's Fault Lines podcast series examines the potentially devastating effects of a massive earthquake expected to hit the west coast of North America. Hosted by Johanna Wagstaffe, CBC's senior meteorologist and seismology expert, you can listen to Fault Lines now on Apple Podcasts and CBC Listen.