Ottawa: A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Vancouver Island on Canada's west coast on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued.
The epicentre of the quake was located 135 kilometres (84 miles) south-southeast of the town of Port Hardy on the island, and about 280 kilometres west of the city of Vancouver, the USGS said.
The earthquake struck at a depth of about 26 kilometres (16 miles), it said, revising its initial assessment that the quake hit just two kilometres under the surface.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre did not issue a warning, saying there was "no destructive widespread tsunami threat”. It did however warn authorities to be prepared for local tidal swells.
The quake was only lightly felt in Vancouver, according to a journalist in the city, which is not on Vancouver Island.
"My boss asked me, 'Did you feel that?' and I said no," city resident Helder Matos Santos, who works in a graphic design firm, said.
The strongest quake ever recorded in Vancouver dates back to 1946.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, September 10, 2011, 09:30