Small 3.1 earthquake shakes B.C.'s southern Okanagan region

The approximate location of the Monday, Dec. 4 earthquake in B.C. (Earthquakes Canada)

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake was felt in parts of the British Columbia Interior Monday afternoon.

Earthquakes Canada says it happened at 2:07 p.m. about seven kilometres northwest of Oliver, which is 390 kilometres east of Vancouver.

The agency says the earthquake was “lightly felt” in Oliver, and the nearby communities of Okanagan Falls, Penticton and Kaleden.

It says there are no reports of damage and none would be expected as a result of the small quake.

British Columbia's earthquake and tsunami guide says there are an average of 3,000 quakes reported in the province every year.

The guide says most of them are too small to be felt, but tremors strong enough to cause structural damage typically happens once every 10 years.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2023.