A major earthquake that rumbled across Vancouver Island was felt as far away as B.C.'s Okanagan Valley to the east and Seattle to the south, but caused no injuries and apparently little damage when it hit midday Friday.
The estimated 6.4-magnitude tremor occurred at 12:41 p.m. PT, with an epicentre about 50 kilometres off the west coast of the island, about 300 kilometres west of Vancouver.
Initial reports estimated the quake was as large as magnitude 6.8, but those estimates were later downgraded No tsunami warning was issued.
Honn Kao, a research scientist at the Pacific Geosciences Centre in Victoria, said the tremor was significant but not large enough to present a danger in the ocean..
"Usually if the earthquake is bigger than magnitude 7, then there will certainly be a possibility that a significant tsunami can be generated," said Kao. "For an earthquake with this kind of magnitude ... although the possibility is still there ... we don't think the threat can be as devastating as those big ones."
Perry Schmunk, who runs the Long Beach Lodge near popular tourist destination Tofino, was standing on the beach and said the sand shifting suddenly under his feet felt like standing on a waterbed.
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