Earthquake in western Quebec rattles people in Ottawa, Montreal
Epicentre of 4.1-magintude quake located north of Maniwaki, Que.
A small quake north of Maniwaki, Que., on Sunday morning rattled people hundreds of kilometres away but appears to have caused no damage.
According to Earthquakes Canada, the 4.1-magnitude quake rumbled through the region at around 8 a.m.
While its epicentre was roughly 180 kilometres north of the nation's capital, people in Ottawa told the agency they felt the ground shake — as did others in places like Pembroke, Brockville and Montreal.
As of 3 p.m. Sunday, Earthquakes Canada had received nearly 2,000 reports about the quake.
"There are no reports of damage, and none would be expected," the agency said.
It's not uncommon for quakes to occur in western Quebec as the region sits near a hotspot on the earth's mantle, said Alison Bird, an earthquake seismologist with Natural Resources Canada.
"People in that region are living in earthquake country, and I really encourage them to be prepared," she said. "Have an earthquake kit, have a plan and practice what to do [if one hits]."
That includes getting low to the ground, seeking shelter under a table or door frame and holding on firmly to something, Bird said.
With files from Isabel Harder