Abstract

An earthquake is the rapid shaking of the earth’s surface that follows the sudden release of energy within the earth. They are most commonly caused by sudden fractures along the edges of the plates that make up the earth’s crust. The earth is subjected to stresses and distortions that cause rocks to gradually bend or stretch, breaking into new positions. This breaking creates vibrations or seismic waves that we feel as an earthquake. The size of an earthquake is measured on the Richter Scale, and the intensity is measured on the Modified Mercalli Scale. There are earthquakes along the West Coast, eastern Canada, and in the Arctic Islands. Many large earthquakes have occurred in Canada’s short history. The first mention of an occurrence was around 1534.