M7.7 hit Queen Charlotte Islands region – Tsunami warning in effect for British Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii

Strong magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit Queen Charlotte Islands region, Canada at 03:04 UTC on October 28, 2012.

Epicenter was located 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Sandspit, British Columbia on the Haida Gwaii archipelago, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, and 139 km (86 miles) S of Masset, Canada (52.769°N, 131.927°W) at depth of 17.5 km (10.9 miles) according to USGS.

EMSC is also reporting magnitude 7.7 earthquake with depth of 17 km.

GDACS reported that this earthquake is expected to have a medium humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability. About 200 people are living within 100 km radius.

It was followed by numerous aftershocks – 5.8, 4.8, 5.1, 4.6, 4.7 and 4.5.

Canada (NRCAN) reported M7.7 earthquake in the Haida Gwaii Region, followed by numerous aftershocks.

A small tsunami has been recorded on a deep ocean pressure sensor.

Emergency Management BC and West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center issued TSUNAMI WARNING for the coastal areas of British Columbia and Alaska from the north tip of Vancouver Island, BC to Cape Decision, Alaska, located 85 miles SE of Sitka. People in low-lying coastal areas should be alert to instructions from their local emergency officials.

The maximum tsunami wave height is in Pacofi, Canada. This height is estimated for October 27 2012 03:10:00 UTC. About 2000 people live  within area of 100km from the epicenter.

The U.S. Coast Guard in Alaska said it was trying to warn everyone with a boat on the water to prepare for a potential tsunami.

Natural Resources Canada said in a statement that a major earthquake was felt across much of north and central British Columbia but that there were no immediate reports of damage.

USGS PAGER issued yellow alert level for economic losses – some damage is possible and the impact should be relatively localized. Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of Canada. Past events with this alert level have required a local or regional level response. Green alert level for shaking-related fatalities – there is a low likelihood of casualties.

This earthquake is expected to have a medium humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Earthquake background

From northern Vancouver Island, to the Queen Charlotte Islands, the oceanic Pacific plate is sliding to the northwest at about 6 cm/year relative to North America. The boundary between these two giant plates is the Queen Charlotte fault – Canada’s equivalent of the San Andreas fault. Canada’s largest historical earthquake - a magnitude 8.1, occurred along this fault on August 22, 1949. This earthquake, larger than the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, caused nearly a 500-km-long segment of the Queen Charlotte fault to break.

Mainshock and aftershocks

Update time = Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 8:44:14 UTC 2012, Source: USGS

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M7.7 hit Queen Charlotte Islands region – Tsunami warning in effect for British Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii