Earthquake.now

M4.9 Earthquake near Port McNeill, Canada — 25 December 2024

A light earthquake of magnitude 4.9 was recorded near Port McNeill, Canada on , with an epicentre 254 km west of Port McNeill, at a focal depth of 10.0 km. It ranked as the 2nd strongest of 33 earthquakes recorded in Canada in the preceding 30 days.

4.9 Light

Time (UTC): 2024-12-25 21:39:27

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 4.9 (light)

Focal depth: 10.0 km (shallow)

Epicentre: 50.5227, -130.6750

Location: 254 km W of Port McNeill, Canada

Country: Canada

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Available

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 4.9 earthquake radiates roughly 338 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 371, 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.

What the magnitude scale actually measures →

When it happened locally

That is about 12:56 local solar time at the epicentre, around midday.

This event was deeper than 73% of the 464 earthquakes recorded in Canada in our catalogue and stronger than 98% of them.

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at 50.5227, -130.6750 — 254 km west of Port McNeill. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 5.3 earthquake 43 km east of here on 25 February 2025.

The nearest other settlement in our records is Tofino (224 km south-southeast).

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.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

What does the tsunami information flag mean?

The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.

How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →

Aftershocks and local seismic history

1 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 5.0.

12 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 M4.9 event released about 11 times less energy than that event.

No other earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, which makes this a genuinely isolated event.

How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →

Where this event sits in the record

This earthquake is part of the December 2024 worldwide record, and of earthquakes in Canada during December 2024. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other recent earthquakes in Canada

All recorded earthquakes in Canada →

Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 4 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong was the earthquake near Port McNeill?

It measured magnitude 4.9 — a light earthquake. A magnitude 4.9 earthquake radiates roughly 338 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Port McNeill?

The focus was 10 km below the surface, which counts as shallow.

Was the Port McNeill earthquake felt at the surface?

At magnitude 4.9 and a focal depth of 10 km, shaking would have been concentrated near the epicentre.

When did the earthquake near Port McNeill happen?

25 December 2024 at 21:39 UTC.

Was there a tsunami?

The USGS record carries a link to NOAA tsunami information for this event. That is not a warning: check your regional tsunami warning centre for any live alert.

Have there been aftershocks?

1 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 5.0.

How often do earthquakes happen near Port McNeill?

12 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 M4.9 event released about 11 times less energy than that event.