Thousands of individuals in southern and central Ontario reported being jolted by an earthquake late Tuesday night, as confirmed by Natural Resources Canada. Earthquakes Canada detected a 3.7 magnitude tremor approximately 99 kilometers northeast of Toronto just before 11 p.m. ET.
The seismic activity, described as “lightly felt,” was centered 23 kilometers southeast of Orillia, Ont., at a depth of five kilometers. According to Natural Resources Canada seismologist Marikah Adams, around 2,600 people have already reported feeling the earthquake, with reports still pouring in from as far as Kingston to Kitchener.
Sarah Cowley, an artist based in Beaverton, recounted experiencing a “roaring sound” reverberating through her century-old home at the time of the quake. Although her residence shook, she observed no visible damage when inspecting outside for fallen trees. Interestingly, while Cowley was rattled by the event, her husband slept undisturbed.
The “Did you feel it?” link on the site received over 2,000 reports of people sensing the rumble, ranging from Kitchener in the west, through Toronto, east to Belleville, and south to Niagara Falls. As of now, there have been no reports of damages or injuries.
Earthquakes in this region are atypical due to its location within the North American plate, away from plate boundaries, as explained by Adams. While the exact cause remains unclear, it could be attributed to regional stress fields or reactivation of old buried faults along zones of crustal weakness. Geologist Lindsay Schoenbohm noted that pressure buildup near old faults or cracks in the tectonic plate could lead to such seismic events, dubbed as “snap, crack, pop earthquakes.”
Adams emphasized that while earthquakes are infrequent in this area, it serves as a reminder of their unpredictability. She advised people to remember safety measures such as “stop, drop, cover, and hold on” during an earthquake. Standing under doorways is no longer recommended, as Schoenbohm explained, highlighting that each earthquake event provides valuable insights for future predictions.
Social media buzzed with comments about the earthquake being the latest challenge for a region already grappling with extreme snow and cold weather. Cowley reflected on the recent natural events, emphasizing the importance of respecting nature and its capabilities.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the event as a magnitude 4.1 earthquake, slightly different from Earthquakes Canada’s data. This variance could stem from different monitoring stations or magnitude measurement scales employed. Stephen Crane from Natural Resources Canada clarified that Earthquakes Canada remains the authoritative source for earthquake information within the country.
Efforts to reach the USGS for comments were made by CBC News.