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'That explains the wiggling': Metro Vancouverites report feeling earthquake

A Sunshine Coast resident heard creaking and popping that "sounded like a patio door sliding open."
Elana Shepert
Elana Shepert
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Locals reported feeling an earthquake in Metro Vancouver on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023.Photo via adventtr/iStock/Getty Images Plus

A 4.9 magnitude earthquake was felt across Metro Vancouver and other parts of B.C. on Sunday, Dec. 17.

The earthquake struck an area northwest of Pemberton and was felt by people on northern and central Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and in many parts of Metro Vancouver, according to Earthquakes Canada.

The tremor was felt in places as far away as Kelowna, more than 350 kilometres from its epicentre southwest of Mount Waddington.

Several Metro Vancouverites took to social media following the earthquake, commenting that they felt shaking in areas including Burnaby, Coquitlam, Langley, Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and Richmond. 

One local shared that they felt the tremor a whopping 26 storeys up in their apartment building. 

In other parts of the province, such as on Vancouver Island, people reported feeling more dramatic effects from the quake. One person says they felt their door rattle in Parksville, which is located on the central east coast of the island. 

A Sechelt resident said they heard creaking and popping that "sounded like a patio door sliding open."

Locals react to the decision to remove X/Twitter account 

Earthquakes Canada has announced that it will no longer share updates about seismic activity on its X/Twitter account starting in January 2024. 

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has used its social media channels to alert the public about natural disasters, including earthquakes and tsunamis. It encourages the public to use the source website, or sign-up to its RSS feed. 

In response to the news, many British Columbians said they felt that critical information won't make it to the public if it isn't available on social media. 

Following the B.C. quake, one person cheekily quipped, "Wow I am sure glad you have an X account! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known this was happening, such a good service to communicate during a disaster." 

Several other locals chimed in following the local tremor, questioning why the government would end a service that provides information about natural disasters. 

One of B.C.'s other social media accounts, EmergencyInfoBC, will continue to provide updates about provincial emergencies on X/Twitter. 

The province also uses B.C. Emergency Alerts broadcast to mobile phones and on radio and TV stations when needed for urgent wildfire, flood, heat, and tsunami emergency information. 

With files from Bob Makin and The Canadian Press