Ottawa, July 20 (QNA) - A 5.6 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale struck the province of British Columbia in western Canada.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported in a statement that the earthquake occurred at a depth of ten kilometers and 208 kilometers west of the Port McNeill area.

There have been no reports of casualties or material damage from the earthquake, and no tsunami warning has been issued.

Canada's west coast lies within a geologically known area called the "Ring of Fire" or "Fire Belt," where the Pacific Plate and smaller tectonic plates collide, causing significant seismic and volcanic activity.