# I think I just felt an earthquake! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 23, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255 "2010-06-23T17:57:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/1 "2010-06-23T17:57:13Z")
About ten minutes ago, the house started to shake. I thought maybe a large truck was going by outside, but we’re on a small dead-end road south of Bancroft and there was nothing outside. It was definitely the whole house vibrating though… I just checked the Toronto Star and found this [breaking report](http://www.thestar.com/article/827425--tremors-felt-in-toronto?bn=1). If it _was_ an earthquake, it’s the first one I’ve ever felt. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/2 "2010-06-23T17:59:03Z")
I’m in Windsor Ontario and our building just shook. Happens from time to time when a big truck rolls by, but this was nothing like that. Further, a cow-orker was talking with someone in our Toronto office, who said “Can I hang up, our building’s shaking” Two minutes later our building shook. Toronto is about 4-5 hour drive to Windsor. I’ve never felt anything like this! My chair rolled back and forth on its casters for a good 5-10 seconds! Our office is all abuzz. I guess there goes productivity! ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/3 "2010-06-23T18:00:07Z")
Yep, I’m in the second floor of my house, and I could feel the whole place shaking for about ten seconds. I remember the last earthquake just rattled the cupboard doors - this one I could feel the whole house moving. Freaky! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/4 "2010-06-23T18:00:16Z")
> [@Nature\_s\_Call](#): > > I’m in Windsor Ontario and our building just shook. Happens from time to time when a big truck rolls by, but this was nothing like that. > > Further, a cow-orker was talking with someone in our Toronto office, who said “Can I hang up, our building’s shaking” Two minutes later our building shook. > > Toronto is about 4-5 hour drive to Windsor. > > I’ve never felt anything like this! My chair rolled back and forth on its casters for a good 5-10 seconds! > > Our office is all abuzz. I guess there goes productivity! Around 1:45? I felt it in Bancroft. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/5 "2010-06-23T18:01:06Z")
Yep, felt it here at Yonge & King. Reminded me a bit of sitting in a rocking chair. Odd feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/6 "2010-06-23T18:02:00Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Around 1:45? I felt it in Bancroft. :eek: Yes! Whoa! 1. I didn’t think we’d ever get earthquakes here and 2. If it started near Toronto I wouldn’t have expected to feel it in Windsor! ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/7 "2010-06-23T18:02:28Z")
Friends from Ottawa and Montréal felt it, too. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/8 "2010-06-23T18:09:42Z")
USGS is reporting something in the 5 range in western Quebec. [link to map](http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/). People here in Michigan are saying they felt it, but I missed it. It’s okay, I’m from California and have been though my share of earthquakes. eta: looking at the map, I see that the epicenter is very close to Ottawa. eta #2: I misinterpreted the map. I thought that that size square indicated 5 range. What it actually means is 5 and larger. They haven’t reported a specific magnitude yet. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/9 "2010-06-23T18:10:00Z")
(already reported my [dupe thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=568255): ) Felt it in Windsor, which is almost twice as far from Toronto as Bancroft is (if my Google map distance perception can be trusted) [singing]I feel the earth, move, under my feet…[/singing] ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/10 "2010-06-23T18:10:06Z")
Merged two threads, so if the continuity is a little funky … well, blame the earthquake. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/11 "2010-06-23T18:13:33Z")
:eek: The GROUND!! :eek: IT MOVED!!! ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/12 "2010-06-23T18:20:00Z")
> [@Nature\_s\_Call](#): > > Yes! Whoa! > > 1. I didn’t think we’d ever get earthquakes here and > 2. If it started near Toronto I wouldn’t have expected to feel it in Windsor! I remember one about 12 years ago that shook the building I was in in Toronto, and the epicentre was somewhere in Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/13 "2010-06-23T18:21:36Z")
[More details.](http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010xwa7.php#details) About 50 km NNE of Ottawa. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/14 "2010-06-23T18:22:12Z")
mmm, no, I was right the first time, it really was in the 5 range. I once didn’t feel an earthquake in the 6 range when I was ~50 miles away. I’m kind of amazed that people are noticing a much smaller quake, hundreds of miles away. I guess I suck at being a human seismometer. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/15 "2010-06-23T18:25:27Z")
I’m west of Toronto, near Hamilton… some of the office felt it, I missed it. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/16 "2010-06-23T18:25:41Z")
Depends where you are - I have a contractor in the basement tiling the bathroom who didn’t feel a thing. I was on the second floor and really noticed it. Some of my friends are in tall office buildings or condos and apparently from the 27th floor, it would have been hard not to notice. I also just saw a photo from a friend on the Scarborough campus of U of T - there are cracks in the sidewalk that weren’t there this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/17 "2010-06-23T18:25:42Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > mmm, no, I was right the first time, it really was in the 5 range. > > I once didn’t feel an earthquake in the 6 range when I was ~50 miles away. I’m kind of amazed that people are noticing a much smaller quake, hundreds of miles away. I guess I suck at being a human seismometer. The USGS site mentions that quakes from the Ottawa Valley are often felt much further away then comparable quakes in the west. Must be all our granite bedrock. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/18 "2010-06-23T18:27:38Z")
I’m a half hour west of North Bay and felt it. Didn’t think much of it as there’s some construction going on right outside right now. Hope my brother-in-law’s all right, he works in Ottawa and lives just a bit east of the city. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/19 "2010-06-23T18:28:21Z")
Sadly, the [2010 Earthquake Conference](http://www.eeri.org/site/membership/announcements/618-2010-earthquake-conference-announcement) doesn’t [start](http://2010eqconf.org/) until Friday. Where’s a policeman when you need one? ---
**Author:** ![ThePylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@ThePylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThePylon)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255/20 "2010-06-23T18:33:05Z")
Felt it strong here in Ottawa - dust falling rom the ceiling, etc. Mother-effing fire alarm is still going off (we’d been given the all clear after evacuating). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-just-felt-an-earthquake/544255.md?page=2)