Series of significant northern Alberta earthquakes felt in Edmonton, Grande Prairie and B.C. | 24CA News

Potentially three of the most important earthquakes ever recorded in Alberta have been reported in northern Alberta Tuesday. 

According to Earthquakes Canada, three seismic occasions have been recorded Tuesday: a 5.8-magnitude quake and two 5.2-magnitude quakes. 

“A series of earthquakes has occurred in northwestern Alberta. The largest, a M 5.8 earthquake, was preceded by two M5.2 earthquakes, and followed by several felt events,” reads a publish on the Earthquakes Canada web site. 

A 5.0-magnitude aftershock was additionally detected round 7:55 p.m MT.

Joseph Farrugia, seismic analyst with Natural Resources Canada, stated a 5.8-magnitude quake is powerful sufficient to doubtlessly trigger injury however there have not been any reviews of injury to this point. 

“Alberta is no stranger to earthquakes but earthquakes in Alberta don’t tend to be this high,” stated Farrugia. “This is certainly one of the largest earthquakes that occurred in Alberta … it’s uncommon and certainly scary for people who live in the area.”

Farrugia stated smaller aftershocks are attainable within the space over the subsequent few days, although they will not all be felt. 

Earthquake reviews are sometimes revised. The 5.8 quake was beforehand reported as a 6.0. Still, a 5.8 earthquake could be the strongest pure earthquake ever reported in Alberta. Farrugia stated Tuesday’s reporting remains to be preliminary, however a revised quantity must be obtainable within the subsequent day. 

The province’s strongest pure earthquake — a magnitude 5.4 — occurred in April 2001 close to the Alberta-B.C. border, about 40 km northeast of Dawson Creek, B.C.

A report posted by Earthquakes Canada pits the location of a 5.2-earthquake about 29 kilometres east-northeast of the hamlet of Reno, Alta., which is about 360 kilometres northwest of Edmonton within the Peace River area and 200 kilometres northeast of Dawson Creek, B.C.

The depth of the quake was estimated to be 4 kilometres and it occurred round 4:45 p.m.

A second, extra important quake was recorded round 5:55 p.m. Tuesday close to Reno. It has been reported to be a magnitude 5.8  and occurred at a depth of two kilometres.

According to Earthquakes Canada’s web site, the occasion would have been “strongly felt in the surrounding area.” Reports from residents on the earthquake present it was additionally felt in Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray in addition to different communities in Alberta and northern B.C.

“The geology east of the Rocky Mountains is such that it favours the transmission of seismic energy much more easily than in the Rocky Mountains and in B.C. where the geology is pretty complicated,” stated Farrugia.

“So it’s not surprising that this earthquake would be felt at great distances.”

Carmen Langer, a farmer in Three Creeks, Alta., lives within the area and says his home shook all through the day.

“I was coming up my stairs from downstairs and I felt really weird on the stairs,” he stated. “And then I come up and got in my kitchen and things were shaking and [the] chandelier was moving and lamps are moving.”

Before Tuesday’s earthquakes, at the very least three different occasions have been recorded within the Reno, Alta. space throughout the final week — two 4.1-magnitude quakes and one which measured as 4.5 magnitude. 

A consultant for the Alberta Energy Regulator’s geological department stated Tuesday’s seismic occasions are being investigated. 

“Our initial investigation reveals an event at 5:55 p.m. with a magnitude of 5.59 and a depth of approximately six kilometres,” stated spokesperson Lauren Stewart in an e mail.

“Due to the nature of earthquakes, we expect that aftershocks in this area are likely.

“We are persevering with to research and can present extra info because it turns into obtainable.”