1946 Earthquake Vancouver Island

1946 Vancouver Island Earthquake Remains Canada's Largest Onshore Quake

Reassessment Confirms Magnitude and Epicenter

Key Points:

1. The 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake was the largest onshore earthquake in Canadian history.
2. Recent analysis has confirmed its magnitude as 7.3 and epicenter near Courtenay, British Columbia.
3. The quake caused widespread damage and triggered a tsunami, but no fatalities were reported.

The 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake, which struck on June 23rd, remains the largest and most significant tremor to affect the island and the largest onshore earthquake in Canada's history.

Using available near- and far-field data, researchers have reassessed the focal parameters of the earthquake, confirming its magnitude as 7.3 and epicenter near Courtenay, British Columbia.

The quake caused widespread damage to buildings, infrastructure, and the natural environment, and triggered a tsunami that reached heights of up to two meters along the island's coast. Despite the severity of the earthquake, no fatalities were reported.

The reassessment of the earthquake's parameters provides valuable insights into the seismic history of the region and helps improve earthquake hazard assessments for the future.