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2010 Central Canada earthquake: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 45°54′14″N 75°29′49″W / 45.904°N 75.497°W / 45.904; -75.497
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Although a 5.0 magnitude quake is only considered to be moderate, the earthquake's depth (estimates of which vary between {{convert|16.4|km|mi}} and {{convert|19.0|km|mi}})<ref name="Earthquake of 5.0 magnitude hits Ontario, Quebec">{{cite web|title=Earthquake of 5.0 magnitude hits Ontario, Quebec|url=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20100623/earthquake-canada-100623/|publisher=CTV News|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="Geologists answer questions on today’s quake">{{cite news|title=Geologists answer questions on today’s quake|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/geologists-answer-questions-on-todays-quake/article1615293/|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="USGS - summary"/> meant that its effects were more widely felt.<ref name="The Great Canada">{{cite news|title=The Great Canada-Michigan-New York City Earthquake|url=http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/06/23/the-great-canada-michigan-new-york-city-earthquake/|newspaper=TIME Magazine|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref>
Although a 5.0 magnitude quake is only considered to be moderate, the earthquake's depth (estimates of which vary between {{convert|16.4|km|mi}} and {{convert|19.0|km|mi}})<ref name="Earthquake of 5.0 magnitude hits Ontario, Quebec">{{cite web|title=Earthquake of 5.0 magnitude hits Ontario, Quebec|url=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20100623/earthquake-canada-100623/|publisher=CTV News|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="Geologists answer questions on today’s quake">{{cite news|title=Geologists answer questions on today’s quake|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/geologists-answer-questions-on-todays-quake/article1615293/|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="USGS - summary"/> meant that its effects were more widely felt.<ref name="The Great Canada">{{cite news|title=The Great Canada-Michigan-New York City Earthquake|url=http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/06/23/the-great-canada-michigan-new-york-city-earthquake/|newspaper=TIME Magazine|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref>


==Geology==
[[File:2010 Central Canada earthquake skake map.png|thumb|left|USGS intensity map.]]
The magnitude 5.0 M<sub>w</sub> [[intraplate earthquake]] occurred near the southern edge of the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, known for frequent, but minor tremors, occurring, on average, every five days.<ref name="USGS - summary" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Earthquake zones in Eastern Canada|url=http://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/zones/eastcan-eng.php#WQSZ|publisher=[[Natural Resources Canada]]|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref> Far away from the [[North American Plate|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 [[orogeny|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.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Forsyth|first=D.A. |title=Characteristics of the western Quebec seismic zone|journal=[[Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences ]]|year=1981|volume=18|issue=1|pages=103–119|doi=10.1139/e81-009|url=http://rparticle.web-p.cisti.nrc.ca/rparticle/AbstractTemplateServlet?calyLang=eng&journal=cjes&volume=18&year=0&issue=1&msno=e81-009|accessdate=24 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Ma|first=Shutian|coauthors=David W. Eaton|title=Western Quebec seismic zone (Canada): Clustered, midcrustal seismicity along a Mesozoic hot spot track|journal=[[Journal of Geophysical Research]]|year=2007|volume=112|issue=6|pages=1-16|doi=10.1029/2006JB004827 |url=http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2007/2006JB004827.shtml|accessdate=24 June 2010}}</ref> Earthquakes of magnitude ≥ 4.5 M<sub>w</sub> are fairly infrequent in the area, occurring at a rate of a few per decade. Some studies suggest, however, that larger earthquakes of M ~ 7 may have occurred 4550 and 7060 years [[Before Present|BP]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Aylsworth|first=J.M.|coauthors=D.E. Lawrence and J. Guertin|title=Did two massive earthquakes in the Holocene induce widespread landsliding and near-surface deformation in part of the Ottawa Valley, Canada?|journal=[[Geology (journal){{!}}Geology]]|year=2000|volume=28|issue=10|pages=903-906|doi=10.1130/0091-7613|url=http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/10/903|accessdate=24 June 2010}}</ref>


== Aftermath ==
''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' reported that "[[Twitter]] users as distant as [[Springfield, Massachusetts]], [[Traverse City, Michigan]], and [[Cincinnati, Ohio]] reported feeling tremors."<ref name="GlobeAndMail" /> This earthquake occurred as Canadian environment minister [[Jim Prentice]] was conducting an interview in Ottawa, and he reported that his chair started to move.<ref name="CTV News">{{cite web|title=Earthquake hits central Canada |url=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20100623/earthquake-canada-100623/|publisher=CTVnews|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref> The offices of ''The Globe and Mail'' were evacuated soon after the tremor.<ref name="GlobeAndMail" /> Several media outlets also aired video of a press conference by [[New Democratic Party]] Member of Parliament [[Don Davies]] being disrupted by the quake.<ref>Aaron Wherry, [http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/06/23/in-case-you-were-wondering/ "In case you were wondering..."]. ''[[Maclean's]]'', June 23, 2010.</ref>


diglett did it.
Part of [[Quebec Route 307]] was closed due to a partial bridge collapse near [[Bowman, Quebec|Bowman]], which injured a nearby fisherman.<ref name = "lcn">{{cite news|title = Tremblement de terre au Québec | url= http://lcn.canoe.ca/lcn/infos/regional/archives/2010/06/20100623-134552.html | publisher = LCN | language = French | date = 23 June 2010 | accessdate = 23 June 2010}}</ref> Near the epicenter, 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, and may be closed, 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]].<ref name="Quebec quake">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/06/23/tor-earthquake.html|title=Quebec quake damages buildings, highway|publisher=CBC Ottawa|date=23 June 2010 |accessdate=24 June 2010}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Quebec quake"/> In the [[Outaouais (region)|Outaouais]], about 1,300 homes lost power.<ref name = "lcn"/> 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 to be inspected.<ref name="Quebec quake" />

Immediately after the quake, cell phone service in Ottawa was down, possibly overloaded by callers.<ref name="Earthquake rumbles">{{cite news|title=Earthquake rumbles Ontario and Quebec|url=http://www.thestar.com/breakingnews/article/827425--tremors-felt-in-toronto?bn=1|newspaper=Toronto Star|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref> Several windows in [[Ottawa City Hall]] shattered, and a chimney in a nearby solicitors' office collapsed.<ref name="Quebec quake"/> 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.<ref>[http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Bois+quake+rattles+Ottawa+eastern+North+America/3191688/story.html "5.0 Val-des-Bois quake rattles Ottawa, eastern North America"]. ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', June 23, 2010.</ref>

Office buildings in Ottawa and Toronto were evacuated, and cracks appeared in the [[Parliamentary Press Gallery]] building on Parliament Hill.<ref name="Fox 5.5-Magnitude">{{cite web|title=5.5-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Canada|url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/06/23/magnitude-earthquake-shakes-canada/|publisher=FOX News|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref> A session of the [[Canadian Senate]] was also interrupted.<ref name="Earthquake shakes Ontario and Quebec">{{cite web|title=Earthquake of 5.0 shakes Ontario and Quebec|url=http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100623/national/earthquake|publisher=Yahoo! news|accessdate=23 June 2010}}</ref> No serious damages or injuries have been reported.<ref name="Fox 5.5-Magnitude"/>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 03:41, 24 June 2010

Template:Pp-pending

2010 Central Canada earthquake
2010 Central Canada earthquake is located in Canada
2010 Central Canada earthquake
UTC time??
Duration20 seconds
Magnitude5.0 Mw
Depth16.4 km (10 mi)
Epicenter45°54′14″N 75°29′49″W / 45.904°N 75.497°W / 45.904; -75.497
Areas affectedCanada, United States
Max. intensityMercalli VI
Casualties"minor injuries", unconfirmed[1]

The 2010 Central Canada earthquake was a magnitude 5.0 earthquake (downgraded from 5.5) which occurred in Central Canada on June 23, 2010 at about 13:41:41 EDT and lasted about 20 seconds.[1][2]

The quake was centered around 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Ottawa, Ontario,[3] closest to the settlement of Val-des-Bois, Quebec.[4] It was felt across the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, ON [5], Regional Municipality of Waterloo[6], Metro Detroit-Windsor-Ann Arbor and Milwaukee areas,[7] the Greater Montreal Area, Quebec City, Boston, Delaware, Greater Hartford, Buffalo, Pittsburgh,[8] Cleveland-Akron,[9] New Hampshire,[10] New York City[11] and Chicago,[12] in addition to places as far as Moose Factory, Thunder Bay, Evansville, Baltimore, Charleston, West Virginia, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.[13] This earthquake was the most severe earthquake in the Ottawa Valley region since October 1998, when a 5.4 earthquake struck the area.[9][14] However, in terms of the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, it was the first moderate earthquake since April 20, 2002, when the area was affected by magnitude 5.5 tremors.[15][16]

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 19.0 kilometres (11.8 mi))[17][18][15] meant that its effects were more widely felt.[19]


diglett did it.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Earthquake shakes central Canada". The Globe and Mail. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  2. ^ "Earthquakes shakes Ontario and Quebec". Toronto Star. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  3. ^ "Magnitude 5.0 - ONTARIO-QUEBEC BORDER REGION, CANADA". USGS. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  4. ^ "Earthquake hits Central Canada". Vancouver Sun. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  5. ^ "Earthquake". Raise the Hammer. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  6. ^ "Earthquake rattles nerves and work day in Waterloo Region". The Record. Kitchener-Waterloo. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  7. ^ "Mich. feels shake of 5.0 quake in Canada". WDIV-TV. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  8. ^ "Magnitude-5.0 Earthquake Felt In Pittsburgh Area". WPXI Pittsburgh. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  9. ^ a b "Earthquake rocks Ontario, Quebec". CBC. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  10. ^ "Canada Earthquake Felt In NH". WMUR New Hampshire. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  11. ^ "Earthquake hits central Canada". CTVnews. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  12. ^ "Canadian Quake Felt in Chicago". NBC Chicago. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  13. ^ Earthquakes, USGS. "M5.0 – Ontario-Quebec Border Region, Canada - Did You Feel It?". United States Geological Survey. Earthquake Hazards Program. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  14. ^ "Earthquake rumbles Ontario and Quebec". Toronto Star. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  15. ^ a b "Magnitude 5.0 - ONTARIO-QUEBEC BORDER REGION, CANADA". United States Geologic Survey. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  16. ^ "Historical earthquakes magnitude 5.0 and larger". Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  17. ^ "Earthquake of 5.0 magnitude hits Ontario, Quebec". CTV News. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  18. ^ "Geologists answer questions on today's quake". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  19. ^ "The Great Canada-Michigan-New York City Earthquake". TIME Magazine. Retrieved 23 June 2010.

External links

Wikinews has related news:
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