Minor Earthquake Shakes Quebec, Tremors Felt Across Several Regions
Residents across parts of Quebec, including Montreal, experienced an early morning jolt on Sunday as a minor earthquake struck the province. The tremor, which registered a magnitude of 4.6, occurred at around 5:45 a.m., according to Earthquakes Canada. The quake’s epicentre was pinpointed approximately 20 kilometres northwest of Drummondville and 40 kilometres south of Trois-Rivières, at a depth of 18 kilometres.
The earthquake was felt over a broad area, with reports coming in from Ottawa to Bas-Saint-Laurent. Seismologist Mareike Adams noted that while the quake was widely felt, no damage has been reported. “For these kinds of events, it often feels sometimes like a really, really large truck or train goes by,” Adams explained.
The western Quebec seismic zone, which includes areas from the Ottawa Valley through Montreal to eastern Ontario, is known for frequent but small seismic activities. However, events of this magnitude are relatively rare in eastern Canada.
This occurrence follows the recent activation of an earthquake early warning system in British Columbia, designed to provide advance notice of potentially harmful tremors. A similar system is scheduled to be implemented in eastern Canada this autumn, offering a few seconds of warning before an earthquake strikes.
The incident serves as a reminder of the region’s seismic activity, despite its infrequent occurrence of major quakes. Residents are encouraged to remain aware of emergency preparedness measures in case of future events.