A HUGE earthquake has hit off the coast of Canada near Port Hardy on the west coast of the country, according to local reports.
A strong quake that measured 6.3 on the Richter scale, has struck off the coast of Canada, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake hit around 177km off Port Hardy which is in British Colombia on Christmas Eve.
The tremor was located around 500km north of Vancouver on the west coast of the country.
The quake hit at around 7.35pm local time (12.36am GMT).
The depth was recorded at around one to five kilometres.
There have so far been no reports of damage or injuries from the earthquake.
Port Hardy earthquake: Huge 6.3-magnitude quake strikes off coast of Canada (Image: USGS)
Port Hardy has a population of 4,132.
The district is located on the northeastern tip of Vancouver island.
It comes as a string of earthquakes struck the northeastern end of Vancouver Island on December 23.
Earthquakes Canada said the first quake measured 5.1, the second 5.6 and the third 5.8.
Port Hardy has a population of 4,132 (Image: GETTY)
Seismologist Andrew Schaeffer of Earthquakes Canada said a number of smaller aftershocks came along with the larger quakes.
He also said no one came forward and said they had felt the quakes.
He added: “You’d have to be ready and waiting and expecting it to feel it.
“It would be pretty hard to distinguish it from a big truck driving by a few hundred metres away.”
The region is apparently a hot spot for quakes.
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