M4.0 Earthquake near Tofino, Canada — 22 March 2026
A light earthquake of magnitude 4.0 was recorded near Tofino, Canada on , with an epicentre 261 km west-southwest of Tofino, at a focal depth of 10.0 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-03-22 19:23:31
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 4.0 (light)
Focal depth: 10.0 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 48.6806, -129.4040
Location: 261 km WSW of Tofino, Canada
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items.
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake radiates roughly 15 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 246, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 48.6806, -129.4040 — 261 km west-southwest of Tofino. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 5.6 earthquake 81 km north of here on 20 July 2026.
Why the 10 km depth matters
At 10 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.0 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
10 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.6 event near Port McNeill on 20 July 2026. This M4.0 event released about 251 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the March 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M5.6 earthquake near Port McNeill, Canada — (81 km N)
- M2.8 earthquake near Tofino, Canada — (90 km SSE)
- M4.4 earthquake near Port McNeill, Canada — (94 km N)
- M5.6 earthquake near Port McNeill, Canada — (103 km N)
- M3.1 earthquake near Tofino, Canada — (116 km SSE)
- M3.0 earthquake near Tofino, Canada — (124 km SE)
- M4.2 earthquake near Tofino, Canada — (127 km SE)
- M3.2 earthquake near off the coast of Washington — (146 km S)
Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.1 earthquake near Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands —
- M4.0 earthquake near Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands —
- M4.2 earthquake near Banda Sea —
- M3.8 earthquake near Cloverdale, CA —
- M3.8 earthquake near Geyserville, California —
- M4.1 earthquake near Masohi, Indonesia —
- M4.1 earthquake near Yamada, Japan —
- M3.8 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 4.0 earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items. A magnitude 4.0 earthquake radiates roughly 15 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Tofino?
At 10 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M4.0 earthquake near Tofino felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.0 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near Tofino?
10 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.6 event near Port McNeill on 20 July 2026. This M4.0 event released about 251 times less energy than that event.