A 4.9 earthquake was reported at 6:02:56 p.m. Wednesday 13 KM east-northeast of Tofino on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. It was reported at a depth of 5 km on the Vancouver Island Earthquake Watch page on Facebook.
"District staff used Natural Resources Canada information and contacted Emergency Management British Columbia to determine that there is no risk to Tofino and its residents. A Tsunami is not expected. There was no tsunami danger from the quakes," said Aaron Rodgers, Tofino's manager of community sustainability.
A flurry of Facebook posts reported feeling the ground shaking and homes shaking around the West Coast. At a home in Ucluelet and also at a home in Tofino, it sounded like a bear or cougar jumping on the deck. A visitor in Tofino reported is sounded like a truck had hit the building.
Ahousaht resident Kaitlyn Matthews reported it shook her whole house.
"When the first shake happened I thought my neighbor was banging on the wall and then the second one came which was much more intense. My body is still full of adrenaline. I packed a bag for me and my dog Beau just in case we get evacuated," Matthews said.
"I turned my VHF radio on and everyone was checking in on their families and being really helpful. It's one of the great aspects of this community," said Matthews, who teaches in Ahousaht.
There were immediate reports of people “feeling it†from Courtenay and Qualicum and Hornby Island and even Metro Vancouver.