Magnitude 5.6 earthquake — Port McNeill, Canada

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck offshore of northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, on 1 August 2026, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake occurred at 04:49 UTC at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, with an epicentre located roughly 192 kilometres south-west of the small coastal community of Port McNeill, placing it well out in the Pacific Ocean rather than near any populated area. The USGS assigned the event a significance score of 486 and a green alert level, indicating minimal expected impact to people or infrastructure.

The earthquake occurred in a tectonically active offshore zone near the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates, an area that also encompasses smaller microplates and fault systems associated with frequent seismicity along Canada's west coast. Despite its considerable magnitude, the quake's remote offshore location meant it was only lightly felt onshore: the USGS "Did You Feel It?" system logged just 12 felt reports, corresponding to a Community Decimal Intensity of around 2.7, consistent with weak to light shaking at most. No tsunami warning was issued following the event, and there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.