The interplate earthquake began in the ocean bottom just off the rugged coast of Graham Island.

Shaking was felt throughout British Columbia, parts of Washington, Oregon, Alberta, the Yukon, and Alaska.

This fault runs from northern Vancouver Island, west of Haida Gwaii, up to the Gulf of Alaska.

In the service community of Terrace, over 300 km (185 mi) away on the mainland, cars were bounced around, and standing on the street was described as "like being on the heaving deck of a ship at sea".

[5] In the port city of Prince Rupert, around 200 km (125 mi) from the epicenter, windows were destroyed and buildings swung.