'Felt my floor shake': Residents react to 2.5 magnitude earthquake in Yarmouth County
Earthquakes Canada said it hit 32 kilometres west of Yarmouth
Residents in southwestern Nova Scotia were shocked Wednesday afternoon after an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.5 rattled Yarmouth County, shaking some buildings.
"I heard what sounded like thunder," said Sara Allen, who was teaching a virtual class at NSCC Yarmouth around 1:45 p.m. AT.
"I felt my floor shake under my feet and I stopped ... [and] as I looked out the window, one of my students said, 'Did you feel that, too?'"
Earthquakes Canada confirmed that a quake hit 32 kilometres west of Yarmouth at 1:48 p.m. Wednesday.
Allen said she heard two loud bangs, which she initially thought was caused by nearby construction.
However, some students who live outside of Yarmouth also heard the strange sounds.
Previous earthquakes in area
This isn't the first time a minor earthquake has hit the region.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 shook parts of western Nova Scotia in September 2018. Before that, in 2016, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.0 was felt in Yarmouth.
"I wouldn't say they're common. It has happened in the past," said Pam Mood, the mayor of Yarmouth.
"And of course, every time you wonder what it is [and] you get a little bit shocked every time it happens."
Mike Deveau, the acting fire chief in Yarmouth, said the department has received sporadic calls about the earthquake, but no serious incidents have been reported.