Earthquakes Canada has reported a 3.9-magnitude earthquake occurring north of Shawville, Quebec, on Tuesday afternoon. Residents in Ottawa, Maniwaki, and Pembroke felt the quake around 12:36 p.m., with most describing the shaking as mild. According to Earthquakes Canada, earthquakes of this magnitude are commonly felt in the region but typically do not result in significant damage.
Historical records show that no local earthquake in the past 127 years has exceeded a magnitude of 5.6, recorded in September 1944. Quakes in 2010 and 2013 were around a magnitude of 5, while major earthquakes are classified as magnitude 7 and above.
One resident, Briony Baxter, experienced the earthquake while having lunch at her Pembroke home. She described feeling her house shake, causing her pets to react anxiously. Baxter noted hearing noises from her basement appliances during the quake. Although no items fell off her walls, she was certain it was an earthquake, ruling out the possibility of it being caused by passing helicopters from nearby Garrison Petawawa.
The seismic event occurred in a region that previously recorded a magnitude 5.2 earthquake in 2013, as confirmed by seismologist Michal Koraj. Koraj explained that typically damage begins to occur around a magnitude of 5 on the seismic scale.