A 6.4- magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of B.C. Friday afternoon, and the tremors were felt in Metro Vancouver and beyond.

The quake hit about 279 kilometres west of Vancouver at a depth of 23 kilometres around 12:41 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A map of the event puts it just off the coast of Vancouver Island. The quake was initially reported as 6.7-magnitude, but was downgraded later in the day.

The have been no immediate reports of damage caused by the quake. The USGS rated the shaking alert level as "green," meaning a low likelihood of casualties and damage.

Small aftershocks have been felt in the hours since the quake, the largest of which was measured at 4.9. Experts say this type of quake is relatively common for the area and happens about once every 100 years.

This is the second earthquake in recent days in the area. A 2.8-magnitude earthquake was recorded 43 kilometres off shore from Washington State's Strait of Juan de Fuca on Tuesday.

Some people living and working in downtown Vancouver took to Twitter shortly after the quake to say they felt a small shake. British Columbians have reported feeling movement close to the epicentre in Port Hardy and Parksville, as well as on the mainland from Delta to Mission and up to Squamish. 

One of the closest communities to the earthquake is the tiny town of Tahsis on the west coast of Vancouver Island, where Captain Meares Elementary Secondary was evacuated as residents felt their homes shake.

Silvie Keen, the chef and owner of Nootka Gold Bed and Breakfast, told ctvbc.ca that she lost power for about five minutes.

"It was a little scary. The dog and I went under the table," she said. "It was long. It seemed like about 15 seconds, and the house was a little bouncy."

In the Fraser Valley, Surrey resident Erica Beckstead's afternoon coffee break took a rocky turn.

"I live on the 17th floor of a high-rise and my coffee cup just started shaking back and forth on the table," she told ctvbc.ca.

"I'm in shock over here. My first thought is that it could be connected to the 9-11 anniversary, like a terrorist thing."

The quake was also felt in the Sea-to-Sky region.

Kristy Kimshela of the Howe Sound Brewing Company in Squamish describes everything swaying in the bar for between 35 to 40 seconds.

"We have a boat hanging from the ceiling and it was moving. Everything was just really off kilter," she said, adding that most people were more disoriented than scared.

"They just ordered a lot more beer."

People as far away as Kelowna and San Francisco have reported feeling the effects of the quake.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says there is no threat of a "destructive widespread tsunami," but adds that smaller local tsunamis are possible within 100 kilometres of the epicentre.

Some industries, including power companies on Vancouver Island, triggered their emergency plans in response to the quake. Those plans include mandatory inspections to make sure there are no problems.

Brent Ward, a geologist at Simon Fraser University, said the quake likely originated from stress built up as the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate subducts under the North American plate.

"This quake would have been most strongly felt in small communities on the west coast of Vancouver Island," he said in a release.

For information about earthquake preparedness, visit B.C.'s Provincial Emergency Program website.

Have your say: Did you feel the quake?

Do you have photos of the damage or video of shaking causing by the quake? Email bcassign@bellmedia.ca.