A 5.9 magnitude earthquake 150 kilometres southwest of Haines, Alaska woke up residents in Whitehorse, Yukon early this morning – almost exactly to the hour of a similar quake back in June.
The epicentre of this morning’s quake was located 55 kilometres west-northwest of Elfin Cove and was 35.4 kilometres deep, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Today’s quake provided a similar wake-up call for those living in the Yukon Territory, when a 5.7 magnitude quake struck 73 kilometres southwest of Haines on June 4.
That quake produced several aftershocks, and the U.S. Geological Survey warns that the same could happen again.
One Yukoner on Twitter wrote: “Was that another early wake-up call from mother nature in the form of an earthquake?”
That wake-up call is something insurers hope Canadians will answer, as the potential for earthquake damage to a large city like Vancouver has been pegged in the billions of dollars.
On April 23, a 6.7 earthquake struck off the northern coast of Vancouver Island, reviving discussions on recent studies that show there is potentially a $75 billion threat facing the city of Vancouver from a major quake.
“Insurers, governments and all Canadians have a responsibility to prepare,” Don Forgeron, president and CEO of the
Insurance Bureau of Canada told
Insurance Business when the study was first released. “If a mega-earthquake should strike in a densely populated area, insurance alone will not pay for all the damage. Governments and consumers have a role to play.”
