Commenting on today’s report of a magnitude 4.4 quake, centred in the Pacific Ocean, 161 kilometres west of Port Hardy, SFU earth scientist Brent Ward says it’s of no concern. He adds: “It is unlikely that anyone on northern Vancouver Island felt this unless their house is on thick soft sediments. This is a small, shallow earthquake in the plate subducting under North America. It is in an area that is seismically active but most earthquakes are small. It is likely caused by stress that accumulates in the subducting Juan de Fuca plate and is not likely a precursor of a large subduction zone earthquake similar to what happened in Japan just over a year ago.

Brent Ward, 778.782.4229, bcward@sfu.ca