5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hit Alberta, Possibly Largest In Provincial History

Earthquake Canada is still assessing the damages from the massive quake

Thousands of earthquakes happen yearly in Canada; however, many go unreported as they are not enough to be considered major seismic activities. Late Tuesday evening, back-to-back earthquakes occurred near Peace River, Alberta, Canada, as reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).

“According to preliminary data, the quake was located at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles. Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations or as other agencies issue their report.

A second report was later issued by the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, which listed it as a magnitude 4.8 earthquake. A third agency, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), reported the same quake at magnitude 5.8.” As per Volcanic Discovery

According to Earthquake Canada, the quake registering 5.8 magnitudes might be the largest reported in the province of Alberta. As of now, they continue to assess the damage as investigations are ongoing. 

Earthquakes are caused when tectonic plates slip suddenly on a fault. Friction causes them to stick at their edges while moving slowly. The earth’s crust shakes when energy is released through seismic waves, causing what we know as earthquakes.