1988 Saguenay earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1988 Saguenay earthquake was a 5.9 magnitude
earthquake
that struck Quebec
, Canada
on Friday, November 25, 1988. It is one of the largest recorded earthquakes in eastern Canada and eastern North America
during the 20th century.
The earthquake was triggered by faults associated with the Saguenay Graben
.
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
that struck Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on Friday, November 25, 1988. It is one of the largest recorded earthquakes in eastern Canada and eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
during the 20th century.
The earthquake was triggered by faults associated with the Saguenay Graben
Saguenay Graben
The Saguenay Graben is a rift valley or graben in the geological Grenville Province of southern Quebec, Canada. It is an elongated flat-bottomed basin long and wide, bounded by normal faults running parallel to its length....
.