5.4 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Vancouver Island

A 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook an area about 200 kilometres off the west coast of Vancouver Island early this morning but did not generate a tsunami.

It happened at 4:33 and seismologist John Cassidy says in a social media post that it was not strong enough to be felt on the Island.

It occurred in the Cascadia subduction zone which Cassidy says is one of the most seismically active areas in Canada, ``with earthquakes every day.''

About five hours earlier an unrelated quake measuring 7.8 struck off the Alaska Peninsula and was strongly felt across the state but no damage has been reported and a tsunami warning was quickly cancelled.