2010 Central Canada earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Central Canada earthquake was a magnitude 5.0 earthquake
that occurred in Central Canada
on June 23, 2010, at about 13:41:41 EDT and lasted about 30 seconds.
The epicentre
was situated in the area of Buckingham, Quebec
, approximately 56 kilometres (34.8 mi) north of Ottawa
, Ontario
,
closest to the settlement of Val-des-Bois, Quebec
. Canada's Capital, Ottawa declared this earthquake as being its most powerful in 65 years.
It was felt across most of Ontario
and Quebec
, as well as parts of the northeastern United States
, in addition to places as far as Chicago
, Baltimore
, Charleston, West Virginia
, and Halifax. It was the first moderate earthquake associated with the Western Quebec Seismic Zone
since April 20, 2002, when the area was affected by magnitude 5.1 Mw tremors. Southern Ontario was also affected by the 1998 magnitude 5.2 Mw Pymatuning earthquake
, associated with a different seismic region (Southern Great Lakes Seismic Zone
).
Although a 5.0 magnitude quake is only considered to be moderate, the earthquake's depth (estimates of which vary between 16.4 kilometres (10.2 mi) and 19 kilometres (11.8 mi)) meant that its effects were more widely felt.
occurred near the southern edge of the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, known for frequent, but minor tremors, occurring, on average, every five days. Far away from the North American
tectonic plate's margin, the regional seismicity is controlled by a series of geologic fault
s formed over the last billion years by the processes of mountain building
, including the Grenville orogeny
, and subsequent erosion. The processes causing the earthquakes in the zone are not well understood: the tremors are not linked to particular seismogenic structures, nor are the sources of stress definitively identified. The initial focal mechanism
of the 2010 earthquake suggests reverse faulting on a fault trending southeast-northwest. However, the size and depth of this earthquake make it uncertain whether the causative fault can be identified.
Earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or greater are fairly infrequent in the area, occurring at a rate of a few per decade. Some studies suggest, however, that larger earthquakes of magnitude around 7 may have occurred 4550 and 7060 years BP
.
reported that "Twitter
users as distant as Springfield, Massachusetts
, Traverse City, Michigan
, and Cincinnati, Ohio
reported feeling tremors." The blogosphere
and other social media sites like Facebook
were swamped by posts referring to the "2010 Ottawa earthquake" or the "2010 Toronto earthquake".
This earthquake occurred as Canadian environment minister Jim Prentice
was conducting an interview in Ottawa, and he reported that his chair started to move. The offices of The Globe and Mail were evacuated soon after the tremor. Several media outlets also aired video of a press conference by New Democratic Party
Member of Parliament Don Davies
being disrupted by the quake.
Part of Quebec Route 307
was closed due to a partial bridge collapse near Bowman
that injured a nearby fisherman. Near the epicentre, many of the telephone networks were out. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
evacuated most of its schools, but students were allowed to return when the situation was determined to be safe. A number of schools were damaged, including First Avenue Public School
, Churchill Alternative School, Blossom Park Public School, Centennial Public School, Connaught Public School, Elgin Street Public School and Hilson Avenue Public School. In Gracefield, Quebec a state of emergency
was declared after several buildings were damaged, including the church, some of the city's administration buildings and a hotel. In the Outaouais, about 1,300 homes lost power. The O-Train in Ottawa was shut down until 5 p.m., and the Agence métropolitaine de transport
shut down four of five commuter trains in Montreal
for a similar period of time in order for lines to be inspected.
Immediately after the quake, cell phone service in Ottawa was down, possibly overloaded by callers. Several windows in Ottawa City Hall
shattered, and a chimney in a nearby solicitors' office collapsed. Minor damages were also reported to several city-owned facilities, including two branches of the Ottawa Public Library
and two municipal sports arenas, and power was out in part of the downtown Golden Triangle neighbourhood.
Office buildings in Ottawa and Toronto were evacuated, and cracks appeared in the Parliamentary Press Gallery
building on Parliament Hill
. A session of the Canadian Senate
was also interrupted, leading to an unprecedented session of the Senate outside on the front lawn of Parliament Hill, in order that a formal adjournment for the day could take place. No serious damages or injuries have been reported.
In Toronto, Toronto Transit Commission
and GO Transit
service was uninterrupted, while eastbound VIA Rail
trains were significantly delayed.
On March 16, 2011, a magnitude 3.7 or 4.3 possible aftershock struck Hawkesbury, Ontario
, on the Ottawa River
Valley and southwest of the initial magnitude 5.0 epicentre. It was felt in places including Ottawa
, Montreal
and St. Albans, VT
.
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
that occurred in Central Canada
Central Canada
Central Canada is a region consisting of Canada's two largest and most populous provinces: Ontario and Quebec. Due to their high populations, Ontario and Quebec have traditionally held a significant amount of political power in Canada, leading to some amount of resentment from other regions of the...
on June 23, 2010, at about 13:41:41 EDT and lasted about 30 seconds.
The epicentre
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
was situated in the area of Buckingham, Quebec
Buckingham, Quebec
Buckingham was a city located in the Outaouais region of the province of Quebec. Since January 1, 2002, it has been part of the amalgamated city of Gatineau which merged five former municipalities, including Masson-Angers, Buckingham, Hull, Aylmer and Gatineau, into a single entity...
, approximately 56 kilometres (34.8 mi) north of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
,
closest to the settlement of Val-des-Bois, Quebec
Val-des-Bois, Quebec
Val-des-Bois is a town and municipality in the Papineau Regional County Municipality in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. The town is located on the eastern shores of the Du Lièvre River, north of Buckingham....
. Canada's Capital, Ottawa declared this earthquake as being its most powerful in 65 years.
It was felt across most of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, as well as parts of the northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
, in addition to places as far as Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, and Halifax. It was the first moderate earthquake associated with the Western Quebec Seismic Zone
Western Quebec Seismic Zone
The Western Quebec Seismic Zone is a large seismically active area that surrounds the Ottawa Valley from Montreal to Témiscaming, as well as the Laurentian Mountains and Eastern Ontario. It is monitored by a local seismographic network which is synced to the Canadian National Seismic network. It...
since April 20, 2002, when the area was affected by magnitude 5.1 Mw tremors. Southern Ontario was also affected by the 1998 magnitude 5.2 Mw Pymatuning earthquake
1998 Pymatuning earthquake
The 1998 Pymatuning earthquake occurred in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania on September 25, 1998. With a magnitude of 5.2, it was the greatest recorded earthquake in Pennsylvania's history.- Location :...
, associated with a different seismic region (Southern Great Lakes Seismic Zone
Southern Great Lakes Seismic Zone
The Southern Great Lakes Seismic Zone is a zone of low to moderate seismic activity surrounding Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in Canada and the United States....
).
Although a 5.0 magnitude quake is only considered to be moderate, the earthquake's depth (estimates of which vary between 16.4 kilometres (10.2 mi) and 19 kilometres (11.8 mi)) meant that its effects were more widely felt.
Geology
The magnitude 5.0 Mw intraplate earthquakeIntraplate earthquake
An intraplate earthquake is an earthquake that occurs in the interior of a tectonic plate, whereas an interplate earthquake is one that occurs at a plate boundary....
occurred near the southern edge of the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, known for frequent, but minor tremors, occurring, on average, every five days. Far away from the North American
North American Plate
The North American Plate is a tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland, Cuba, Bahamas, and parts of Siberia, Japan and Iceland. It extends eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and westward to the Chersky Range in eastern Siberia. The plate includes both continental and oceanic crust...
tectonic plate's margin, the regional seismicity is controlled by a series of geologic fault
Geologic fault
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock, across which there has been significant displacement along the fractures as a result of earth movement. Large faults within the Earth's crust result from the action of tectonic forces...
s formed over the last billion years by the processes of mountain building
Orogeny
Orogeny refers to forces and events leading to a severe structural deformation of the Earth's crust due to the engagement of tectonic plates. Response to such engagement results in the formation of long tracts of highly deformed rock called orogens or orogenic belts...
, including the Grenville orogeny
Grenville orogeny
The Grenville Orogeny was a long-lived Mesoproterozoic mountain-building event associated with the assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia. Its record is a prominent orogenic belt which spans a significant portion of the North American continent, from Labrador to Mexico, as well as to Scotland...
, and subsequent erosion. The processes causing the earthquakes in the zone are not well understood: the tremors are not linked to particular seismogenic structures, nor are the sources of stress definitively identified. The initial focal mechanism
Focal mechanism
The focal mechanism of an earthquake describes the inelastic deformation in the source region that generates the seismic waves. In the case of a fault-related event it refers to the orientation of the fault plane that slipped and the slip vector and is also known as a fault-plane solution...
of the 2010 earthquake suggests reverse faulting on a fault trending southeast-northwest. However, the size and depth of this earthquake make it uncertain whether the causative fault can be identified.
Earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or greater are fairly infrequent in the area, occurring at a rate of a few per decade. Some studies suggest, however, that larger earthquakes of magnitude around 7 may have occurred 4550 and 7060 years BP
Before Present
Before Present years is a time scale used in archaeology, geology, and other scientific disciplines to specify when events in the past occurred. Because the "present" time changes, standard practice is to use AD 1950 as the origin of the age scale, reflecting the fact that radiocarbon...
.
Aftermath
The Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
reported that "Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
users as distant as Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
, and Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
reported feeling tremors." The blogosphere
Blogosphere
The blogosphere is made up of all blogs and their interconnections. The term implies that blogs exist together as a connected community or as a social network in which everyday authors can publish their opinions...
and other social media sites like Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
were swamped by posts referring to the "2010 Ottawa earthquake" or the "2010 Toronto earthquake".
This earthquake occurred as Canadian environment minister Jim Prentice
Jim Prentice
James "Jim" Prentice, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer, and politician. In the 2004 federal election he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the Conservative Party of Canada...
was conducting an interview in Ottawa, and he reported that his chair started to move. The offices of The Globe and Mail were evacuated soon after the tremor. Several media outlets also aired video of a press conference by New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
Member of Parliament Don Davies
Don Davies
Don Davies MP is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party, representing the riding of Vancouver Kingsway. He is also Canada's official opposition Critic for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism....
being disrupted by the quake.
Part of Quebec Route 307
Quebec Route 307
Route 307 is a provincial road located in the Outaouais region of Quebec. The road runs mostly parallel to the Gatineau River on the eastern side of it. It starts at the corner of Rue Jacques-Cartier and Boulevard Greber in the Gatineau sector of the city of Gatineau...
was closed due to a partial bridge collapse near Bowman
Bowman, Quebec
Bowman is a village and municipality in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. It is located in the Laurentian Hills, north-east of Gatineau.-Geography:...
that injured a nearby fisherman. Near the epicentre, many of the telephone networks were out. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board refers to both the institution responsible for the operation of all English public schools in the city of Ottawa, Ontario and its governing body. Like most school boards, the OCDSB is administered by a group of elected trustees and one director selected...
evacuated most of its schools, but students were allowed to return when the situation was determined to be safe. A number of schools were damaged, including First Avenue Public School
First Avenue Public School
First Avenue Public School is an elementary school in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. Built in 1898 it is one of only three survivors of a group of school houses built in Ottawa in the late nineteenth century. The nearby Mutchmor Public School being another. The building is today an officially...
, Churchill Alternative School, Blossom Park Public School, Centennial Public School, Connaught Public School, Elgin Street Public School and Hilson Avenue Public School. In Gracefield, Quebec a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
was declared after several buildings were damaged, including the church, some of the city's administration buildings and a hotel. In the Outaouais, about 1,300 homes lost power. The O-Train in Ottawa was shut down until 5 p.m., and the Agence métropolitaine de transport
Agence métropolitaine de transport
The Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...
shut down four of five commuter trains in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
for a similar period of time in order for lines to be inspected.
Immediately after the quake, cell phone service in Ottawa was down, possibly overloaded by callers. Several windows in Ottawa City Hall
Ottawa City Hall
The current Ottawa City Hall is the city hall of Ottawa, Canada. The downtown complex consists of two connected buildings: a modern wing located on Laurier Avenue and a 19th century heritage wing located on Elgin Street...
shattered, and a chimney in a nearby solicitors' office collapsed. Minor damages were also reported to several city-owned facilities, including two branches of the Ottawa Public Library
Ottawa Public Library
The Ottawa Public Library is the library system of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is the largest bilingual library in North America...
and two municipal sports arenas, and power was out in part of the downtown Golden Triangle neighbourhood.
Office buildings in Ottawa and Toronto were evacuated, and cracks appeared in the Parliamentary Press Gallery
Parliamentary Press Gallery
The Parliamentary Press Gallery is an association established to oversee rules and responsibilities of Canadian journalists when at Parliament Hill. The organization was formed the same year as Canada's Confederation in 1867, by The Honourable Thomas White. During the early years of the...
building on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
. A session of the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
was also interrupted, leading to an unprecedented session of the Senate outside on the front lawn of Parliament Hill, in order that a formal adjournment for the day could take place. No serious damages or injuries have been reported.
In Toronto, Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
and GO Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
service was uninterrupted, while eastbound VIA Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
trains were significantly delayed.
On March 16, 2011, a magnitude 3.7 or 4.3 possible aftershock struck Hawkesbury, Ontario
Hawkesbury, Ontario
Hawkesbury is a town in the Eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada, on the Ottawa River, near the Quebec-Ontario border.It lies on the south shore of the Ottawa River about halfway between Downtown Ottawa and Downtown Montreal in Prescott and Russell Counties. The Long-Sault Bridge links it...
, on the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
Valley and southwest of the initial magnitude 5.0 epicentre. It was felt in places including Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and St. Albans, VT
St. Albans (town), Vermont
St. Albans is a town in Franklin County, Vermont. The population was 6,392 at the 2010 census. The town completely surrounds the city of St. Albans, which was separated from the town and incorporated in 1902. References to "St. Albans" prior to this date generally refer to the town center, which...
.