6.1-magnitude quake shakes Canada’s coast

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – A strong earthquake struck off Canada’s west coast early Thursday near Vancouver Island. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.
The magnitude-6.1 quake hit at 5:37 a.m., and its epicenter was 293 miles west northwest of Vancouver, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Geological Survey of Canada scientist Garry Rogers said there are no reports of injuries or damages and said it occurred too far off land for there to be any.
The quake was the latest in a series of coastal tremors since Monday. Two quakes rattled the area Wednesday, both with magnitudes of about 5. There have been 18 quakes with a magnitude greater than 4 in the region this week.
“Rarely a day goes by where we don’t have a earthquake,” Rogers said. “Once a year we have a swarm in the high fours, maybe a five. Once a decade we have a six.”