People reported feeling the shaking in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island shortly after 4 a.m.
A small earthquake hit B.C.’s South Coast early Thursday, with people reporting shaking in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island.
However Earthquakes Canada designated it slightly smaller — at 3.8-magnitude — and said it struck just after 4 a.m. about 19 kilometres northeast of Victoria at a depth of 54.8 kilometres.
Shortly after it hit, people from around Metro Vancouver, Greater Victoria and as far away as Washington State were posting that they had felt the rattle on social media. Some people said it woke them up.
However, the system is designed to provide warning before a strong or potentially harmful earthquake over 5.0 magnitude is detected. Alerts will be transmitted automatically to British Columbians by cellphone, radio and television.
With files from The Canadian Press