28th October, 2012
A potentially destructive Pacific tsunami was headed toward the US state of Hawaii early Sunday after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of Canada, triggering calls for urgent action to protect lives.
The expected arrival time of the tsunami was 10:28 pm Saturday (0828 GMT Sunday).
Initially, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no “destructive widespread tsunami threat” after the quake shook the Queen Charlotte Islands off the west coast of Canada.
But later it issued a warning, saying a tsunami had been generated by the earthquake and that it was headed toward Hawaii.
The tsunami “could cause damage along the coastline of all islands in the state of Hawaii,” the center said, adding that “urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property.”
Sirens were reported to be blaring across the archipelago.
“Initial reports indicate that a wave of around three feet (one meter) is anticipated, with Kahului likely to be impacted by a larger wave, possibly up to six feet (two meters),” Honolulu’s KITV station said.
The epicenter of the Canadian quake, which occurred at 8:04 pm Saturday (0304 GMT Sunday) was located 139 kilometers (86 miles) south of the town of Masset, the US Geological Survey said.
Numerous aftershocks, some as strong as magnitude 4.6, followed the initial quake, Canadian officials reported.
Emergency officials in British Columbia urged residents in low-lying coastal areas to be alert to instructions from local officials and be prepared to move to higher ground.
Natural Resources Canada said in a statement that the quake was felt across much of north-central British Columbia, including Haida Gwaii as the Queen Charlotte Islands are also called, Prince Rupert, Quesnel, and Houston.
But also played down the effects on Canada.
“There have been no reports of damage at this time,” the ministry said.
However, Gerard Fryer said quakes exceeding magnitude 7.0 should not be taken lightly.
“A 7.7 is a big, hefty earthquake. It’s not something you can ignore,” said the geophysicist.
He said it had struck partly under an island, but mostly under shallow water.
“I think we have to be thankful it happened where it did,” Fryer said. “If that were a heavily populated area, it would have caused significant damage.”
The earthquake reading was based on the open-ended Moment Magnitude scale used by US seismologists, which measures the area of the fault that ruptured and the total energy released.
The Queen Charlotte Islands, which are also known by their official indigenous name of Haida Gwaii, comprise about 150 islands located north of Canada’s Vancouver Island. Their total population is about 5,000. The Haida people make up about 45 percent of the total population.
Reported by AFP