No major damage reported from 7.7-magnitude B.C. earthquake or its aftershocks

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck British Columbia this weekend and its aftershocks have reportedly caused no major damage, although the major quake may serve as a wake-up call for residents throughout the province.

The earthquake, which occurred off B.C.’s north-central coast near Haida Gwaii Saturday night, prompted tsunami warnings for the province, the Washington state coast and Hawaii, that were later downgraded then cancelled. The quake was felt as far as the Yukon Territory.

The quake occurred likely because of movement across the Queen Charlotte fault system, part of a system that marks the eastern boundary of the Pacific plate and the western boundary of the North American plate, according AIR Worldwide.

“Numerous aftershocks have been recorded, including more than 40 of magnitude 4 or larger, and 6 of M 5 or larger,” Earthquakes Canada noted Sunday. “Aftershocks extend along a 150-km-long segment of the Queen Charlotte Fault just to the west of Haida Gwaii, and are likely to continue for several days.”

Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson has told various media outlets that the quake serves as a wake-up call for the major city and that residents should be prepared for emergencies such as earthquakes.

Nearly 600,000 B.C. residents recently participated in ShakeOut B.C., an earthquake preparedness drill with similar events worldwide.