Earthquakes Canada has reported a 3.9-magnitude earthquake just north of Shawville, Quebec, on Tuesday afternoon. Residents in areas around Ottawa, Maniwaki, and Pembroke felt the quake around 12:36 p.m., with initial reports indicating mild shaking. According to Earthquakes Canada, earthquakes of this magnitude are commonly felt in the region but typically do not result in significant damage.
Historical government records show that no local earthquake in the past 127 years has exceeded a magnitude of 5.6, recorded in September 1944. Previous earthquakes in 2010 and 2013 were around a magnitude of 5, while major earthquakes are classified as those with a magnitude of 7 or higher.
One Pembroke resident, Briony Baxter, described feeling her house shake during the earthquake while having lunch at home. She mentioned that her pets reacted to the shaking, with her dog jumping off the couch and her cat becoming agitated. Although nothing fell off her walls, Baxter was certain it was an earthquake event. The earthquake occurred in a seismic zone in western Quebec, where a similar magnitude quake was recorded in 2013, according to seismologist Michal Koraj.
Koraj explained that typically, damage begins to occur around a magnitude of 5, emphasizing that Monday’s earthquake was within an established seismic zone and distinct from other common disturbances in the region.