Minor Earthquake Strikes Quebec Early Sunday Morning

A minor earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 rattled parts of Quebec in the early hours of Sunday morning. The event occurred at approximately 5:45 a.m. at a depth of 18 kilometres.

The epicentre of the quake was located about 20 kilometres northwest of Drummondville and 40 kilometres south of Trois-Rivières. Tremors from the earthquake were widely felt across the region, including cities such as Ottawa and Quebec City.

Mareike Adams, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, reported that the tremors were noticeable in numerous locations, including the Charlevoix and Bas-Saint-Laurent regions. Residents in Montreal and the surrounding areas also reported feeling the effects.

Several residents from Lanoraie, situated in the Lanaudière region, described their experiences during the quake. Homeowners reported that their houses shook for a few seconds, and many noted that their dogs reacted extremely to the tremors.

Adams explained that such earthquakes tend to feel like a heavy truck or train passing by. Fortunately, no damage has been reported as a result of this earthquake.

In eastern Canada, magnitude 4 earthquakes are relatively rare, but they do occur within the western Quebec seismic zone. This area, which includes regions such as the Ottawa Valley and the Laurentians, experiences smaller seismic events more frequently.

Adams indicated that approximately one earthquake is recorded every five days, although most of these are too minor to be felt by the populace.

Additionally, there is an upcoming initiative aimed at providing the public with a few seconds of advance warning prior to significant seismic events. This warning system is expected to be activated in eastern Canada this fall.