May 2, 2017 by The Canadian Press
WHITEHORSE – More than 100 aftershocks had shivered across the Alaska Panhandle, southern Yukon and parts of northwestern British Columbia by early Tuesday following two powerful earthquakes a day earlier, but seismologists say while people need to be prepared, it isn’t time to be alarmed.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the aftershocks, including at least a dozen Tuesday morning, in the wake of the 6.2 and 6.3 magnitude earthquakes Monday that were centred near Skagway, Alaska, but were felt as far away as Whitehorse and Ross River, which is more than 300 kilometres away.
Earthquakes Canada also reported a 4.5 magnitude quake jolted the Carcross region, about 75 kilometres south of Whitehorse on Tuesday morning.
Earthquake seismologist Alison Bird of the Geological Survey of Canada said continued shaking is expected.
The Lynn Building in #Whitehorse is closed as cracks have been discovered reaching up to 3rd floor due to the #earthquake pic.twitter.com/t3cqkgM72j
— Tim Kucharuk (@TimKucharuk) May 1, 2017
“It’s sort of a swarm of activity, there seems to be some intense earthquakes,” she said.
“It’s fairly normal to have this sort of thing. This is an area that gets a lot of earthquakes anyway, but sometimes it sort of flares up in sudden activity.”
Powerful earthquakes almost always spawn aftershocks that can continue for years, she said, adding that the level of seismic activity in the Haida Gwaii region of B.C. remains elevated, five years after a magnitude 7.8 quake there.
M6.3 #earthquake 85km WNW of #Skagway, #Alaska https://t.co/SrUfyNDlLI #Whitehorse #Juneau #Geology #USGS #MosquitoLake pic.twitter.com/Zk5PRxmeGp
— Mickey Fulp (@mercenarygeo) May 1, 2017
Following Monday’s earthquakes, the Yukon government issued messages via Twitter confirming that the school in Ross River, about 200 kilometres northeast of Whitehorse, remained closed as engineers checked for safety.
The four-storey Lynn Building in downtown Whitehorse was also closed after being evacuated Monday when large cracks were spotted in its foundation but other structures, as well as the clay cliffs overlooking downtown Whitehorse had been checked and declared safe.
“It is a good reminder that we can have large earthquakes in that area and they can get much larger than this, so people up there tend to be prepared for that sort of thing,” said Bird.
Security camera footage from Triniti Technology in #Whitehorse shows this morning's earthquake. Different angles recorded at 5:30am. pic.twitter.com/9p6Vte3hke
— Philippe Morin (@YukonPhilippe) May 1, 2017
EMO is giving a summary of this morning's earthquake in Whitehorse #Yukon pic.twitter.com/ei7UAxTkNm
— Mike Rudyk (@MikeRudyk) May 1, 2017
The cliffs near Canadian Tire in #Whitehorse. Photo: Angie Dickson. #Yukon #earthquake pic.twitter.com/SkyStlDKXm
— Tim Kucharuk (@TimKucharuk) May 1, 2017
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