Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits Norfolk Island, Australia.

5.2 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.1 Earthquake hits northern Xinjiang, China.

5.0 Earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.

Fracking in British Columbia

Fracking triggered a 4.4-magnitude earthquake in northeastern B.C. last year, making it one of world's largest earthquakes ever triggered by the controversial process.

B.C.'s Oil and Gas Commission confirmed the cause of the earthquake in an email statement this week, saying it was "triggered by fluid injection during hydraulic fracturing."

The 4.4-magnitude quake was felt in Fort St. John and Fort Nelson in August 2014. It was preceded by a 3.8-magnitude earthquake in late July, also caused by fracking.

B.C.'s Oil and Gas Commission said that several companies were doing hydraulic fracturing in the area at the time, and several more were disposing of fracking waste.

Hydraulic fracturing, often called fracking, is the process of injecting water, sand and chemicals at high pressure deep underground to break rock and free gas.