Canada Day earthquake felt in Washington, Greater Victoria

Canada Day earthquake felt in Washington, Greater Victoria

Published 9:50 am Thursday, July 2, 2026

In Greater Victoria, 17 people reported feeling the earthquake, and 18 more felt it on the Lower Mainland. (Earthquakes Canada)

Over 1,500 people reported feeling an earthquake that struck south of Victoria on Canada Day.

Originating at a depth of 25 kilometres, a 3.8-magnitude earthquake hit Washington’s Oak Harbour around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Those who felt the earthquake said it was “weak” or “light” and nobody logged any damage.

Earthquakes Canada said the earthquake measured 3.7 and stemmed from a depth of 29 kilometres.

Earthquakes under a magnitude of 3.5 are generally not felt, while those between 3.5 and 5.4 are often felt but rarely cause damage. The Richter scale tops at 9 – a spot reserved for only the strongest earthquakes that can cause major damage over a large region over 1,000 kilometers across.