4.6 magnitude quake hits off B.C. coast, but no damage expected

4.3-magnitude quake off coast of B.C. A 4.3-magnitude quake was reported off the coast of Vancouver Island, about 350 km west of Campbell River.

A small earthquake struck off the coast of Vancouver Island early Tuesday morning, but there have been no reports of damage.

Earthquakes Canada said it recorded a 4.6-magnitude temblor under the Pacific Ocean, about 200 kilometres west of Port Hardy, at around 6 a.m.

A quake of that size at that location would not be expected to cause any property damage or a tsunami, according to the agency.

The Earthquakes Canada website says it's "very unlikely" that anything under a magnitude 5 could cause damage, though less powerful quakes could cause hanging lamps and other items to swing at nearby homes.

There are more than 4,000 earthquakes recorded every year across the country, including 1,000 or so in Western Canada, and only about 50 are felt by people. Earthquakes Canada also says it's very rare for smaller quakes to immediately precede larger ones.

But small earthquakes are still a good reminder to the public to be prepared for the next "Big One," or megathrust earthquake, which could hit at any time with devastating consequences.

Megathrust quakes strike every 500 or 600 years on average, according to Earthquakes Canada, but can be as close as 200 years apart or as far as 800 years apart. The last one happened about 300 years ago.

For information on preparing for a major earthquake, visit the PreparedBC website.