Earthquakes in Canada — December 2024

34 earthquakes were recorded in Canada during December 2024, an average of 1.1 per day.

6 reached magnitude 4 or above and 1 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 9 km.

The month's largest event in Canada was a magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Port McNeill, Canada on 25 December 2024 at 21:39 UTC. A magnitude 5.0 earthquake radiates roughly 477 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is well above the Canada monthly average of 21 events over the period we cover — an unusually active month, and up from the 9 recorded the previous month.

100% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 0% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). Almost everything here is crustal. That is characteristic of transform faulting or continental deformation rather than subduction — and it means shaking at the surface is strong for the magnitudes involved.

By band, the catalogue holds 1 in the magnitude 0 range, 16 in the magnitude 1 range, 9 in the magnitude 2 range, 2 in the magnitude 3 range, 5 in the magnitude 4 range, 1 in the magnitude 5 range.

Activity peaked on 01 December, when 3 events were recorded.

2 event(s) this month carry a USGS link to NOAA tsunami information; the flag does not indicate whether a tsunami occurred.

The month's largest events were M5.0 near Port McNeill, Canada on 25 December at 36 km; M4.9 near Port McNeill, Canada on 25 December at 10 km; M4.4 near Mayo, Canada on 07 December at 10 km.

That is 63% above the 21 events Canada averages per month across the 22 months on record.