Authorities at Canada’s Department of Natural Resources say a 4.2 magnitude earthquake rattled parts of Quebec early this morning, the second such incident in the past month.
According to the agency, the temblor struck at 4:05 am, lasted 10 to 15 seconds, and was centered in the Gatineau region, 30 kilometers (18 miles) east of Buckingham, Quebec.
It was also felt in several suburban Ottawa neighborhoods including Barrhaven, Orleans, and Cumberland, CTV reports.
“If you’re close to the epicenter, you probably would have no doubt whatsoever that it was an earthquake. You would feel shaking, possibly hear some rattling,” said seismologist Allison Bent, pointing out that about 200 small earthquakes typically occur in the area between Montreal and Ottawa known as the Western Quebec Seismic Zone.
Bent added there were no immediate reports of any injuries or damage.
The Ottawan Sun notes that Tuesday’s temblor is the fourth quake in the region in recent months, but all have been relatively minor. A 3.1 quake occurred on September 22, also near Buckingham, and another 3.1 quake occurred in April in the Wakefield area.
A somewhat larger quake — registered at 4.5 — had been felt across the region less than a month ago. It struck at 12:19 am October 10. Following that temblor, officials said the Champlain Bridge and other federal spans had passed inspections.
On the west coast, aftershocks of about the same magnitude are still occurring in the Queen Charlotte Islands after a 7.7 earthquake hit that region on October 27 .
