Minor 4.9-Magnitude Earthquake Hits B.C.'S Coast Mountains

You may have felt an earthquake Sunday afternoon.

A 4.9 magnitude earthquake was recorded, its epicenter about 200 km north-northwest of Vancouver.

It was felt on northern and central Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and many parts of greater Vancouver.

John Cassidy, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, says earthquakes are a relatively rare occurrence for the central part of the province's coastal mountain range, with the last being a 4.1 magnitude quake in 2017.

"It appears to be a relatively shallow earthquake and with a number of small aftershocks so far in the magnitude one-to-two-and-a-half range," he said, adding aftershocks can happen hours or even days after such quakes, but tend to drop off in frequency "as time goes on."

The quake hit just before 330pm Sunday.

For details, visit Earthquakes Canada.