Parts of Quebec hit by mild earthquake

Parts of Quebec hit by mild earthquake | Insurance Business Canada

Catastrophe & Flood

Parts of Quebec hit by mild earthquake

Event comes just days after activation of early warning system in another province

Catastrophe & Flood

By
Terry Gangcuangco

Drummondville, Trois-Rivieres, and Montreal in Quebec were hit by a mild earthquake over the weekend.

Occurring at a depth of 18 kilometres, the 4.6 magnitude quake struck 26 kilometres northwest of Drummondville, 35 kilometres from Trois-Rivieres, and 91 kilometres from Montreal at 5:43am on Sunday, according to the Canadian Press, citing data from Natural Resources Canada.

While no major damage was reported, condominium owners are being urged to better prepare for future seismic incidents, especially since building damage from an earthquake isn’t typically covered by insurance for such properties unless specifically insured against this risk.

“In Quebec, although earthquakes are less frequent than on the west coast, the province remains the second most seismically active zone in Canada after British Columbia,” the team at Condolegal noted.

The event in Quebec came just days after the activation of British Columbia’s EEW (earthquake early warning) system. Now operational in British Columbia, the EEW system is slated to come online in eastern Ontario and southern Quebec later this year.

“British Columbia is more prone to earthquakes than anywhere else in Canada, and it’s important that we use the most advanced methods available to protect people across the province,” British Columbia’s Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma said.

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