3.1-magnitude earthquake in Washington felt in Victoria

Photo: USGS

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake hit early Tuesday about 65 kilometres southeast of Victoria.

The quake struck near Oak Harbor, Washington, between Victoria and Seattle, at about 63 kilometres deep.

The farthest reports of feeling the shaking were from Victoria, Vancouver and Washington’s Olympic Peninsula about 100 kilometres away, said John Cassidy, an earthquake seismologist.

Small earthquakes of this magnitude are fairly common and increase in frequency south of the B.C. coast, he said.