The Earth Moved!

The driving force behind most seismic events is the collision of huge slabs of rock which support both the continents and the oceans. Huge forces build up along the boundaries between these moving "plates". An earthquake is the result of a sudden slip along a break or fault which usually happens near the plate boundaries.

In some places in Canada, such as the Saguenay valley, ancient seismic activity combined with glaciation has had a dramatic effect on the landscape.

Plate movement played a big part in the geology of Newfoundland.

Quake map
Source: Natural Resources Canada

The map above indicates the sites of major earthquake activity in western Canada.

Seismic Links

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