Strongest earthquake to hit Buffalo in decades causes 'surreal' rumbles in southern Ontario
A 3.8-magnitude earthquake that struck near Buffalo, N.Y. Monday morning was "lightly felt" in southern Ontario.
Natural Resources Canada said there are currently no reports of damage and that none should be expected after the event.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The federal government’s seismogram viewer shows the quake struck at 6:15 a.m.
Earthquakes Canada said the shock wave originated six kilometres east of Buffalo, N.Y., 97 kilometres east southeast of Hamilton, Ont., and 101 kilometres southeast of Toronto.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, which classified the quake at a magnitude of 3.8, the seismic activity originated in West Seneca, N.Y.
Earthquakes Canada, meanwhile, said the event registered as a 4.2-magnitude earthquake on the Richter Scale north of the border.
Seismologist Yaareb Altaweel told the Associated Press it was Buffalo's strongest quake in at least 40 years.
Surveillance video shared with CTV News Toronto from a home in Buffalo shows the moment the earthquake struck.
A loud thud can be heard before the structure shakes and its residents are awoken.
An earthquake struck near Buffalo, N.Y. on Feb. 6, 2023. (United States Geological Survey)
Stephen Halchuk is a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada and said while earthquakes in the western end of Lake Ontario and the eastern end of Lake Erie are common, Monday’s is “a bit larger” than normal.
“This scattered low-level activity is going on all the time. Most of the earthquakes that occur in this region are too small to be noticed by people,” Halchuk told CTV News Toronto in an interview.
“But today’s event was just a little bit larger and was felt as strong, but short duration, shaking by people in southern Ontario and northern New York state,” Halchuk said, adding that the earth’s tectonic plates are constantly moving at a speed of about five to 10 centimetres per year -- about the same speed as a fingernail grows.
Halchuk explained that because southwestern Ontario is located in the middle of the North American tectonic plate, and not on a plate boundary like California, for example, earthquakes in the area are rarely powerful enough to create any significant damage.
“There are small faults below the earth’s surface that never really get large enough to break the earth’s surface. As stresses in the earth’s crust build up over time, the energy gets released in these small earthquakes in the region,” he said.
On Monday afternoon, Niagara mayor Jim Diodati described the moment the earthquake struck as “surreal.”
“It woke me up at 6:15 a.m. – I thought there was a snowplow going out in the street, very loud,” Diodati recalled.
“Right away, I thought about the power plants, I thought about a lot of things,” he continued. “So we checked in on the Skylon Tower, the big hotels, the [Ontario Power Generation], the Niagara Parks Commission, and everything's okay."
Diodati took a moment while speaking with reporters Monday to extend condolences to the people of Syria and Turkiye, who suffered through a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday that left more than 3,400 people dead.
“We’d like to offer our sincere condolences to the people of Syria and Turkiye for what they're going through right now. We know it's devastating,” he said. “Canada is a country of immigrants from all over the world, and I know there's a lot of Turkish and Syrians here, and I know that a lot of them are worried about family back home.”
Monday’s earthquake in Buffalo was “quite small” compared to the disaster in Syria and Turkiye, Halchuk said.
Ground movement, or shaking, at the epicentre of that earthquake would likely be 10 times the intensity of Buffalo’s and the amount of energy released would be 1,000,000 times stronger, according to Halchuk.
Earthquakes Canada data shows the strongest seismic event ever to take place in the region was on Aug. 12, 1929, when a 5.5-magnitude earthquake was recorded.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Budget 2023 prioritizes pocketbook help and clean economy, deficit projected at $40.1B
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
Freeland's green economy spending aimed at competing with U.S. Inflation Reduction Act
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says clean energy and green technology spending may not have been the big-ticket items of the 2023 federal budget if it weren’t for the need to compete with infrastructure spending in the United States.
Federal government capping excise tax on alcohol after outcry
The increase in excise duties on all alcoholic products is being temporarily capped at two per cent starting next month instead of a planned 6.3 per cent increase.
opinion
opinion | The gun control debate in America has been silenced
In the wake of another deadly mass shooting in America, that saw children as young as nine years old shot and killed, the gun control debate is going nowhere, writes CTV News political analyst Eric Ham.
Was Stonehenge a giant calendar? New research suggests maybe not
Stonehenge's purpose has long been a mystery, with some researchers proposing that it may have been an ancient solar calendar. But now, new analysis suggests the calendar theory is unsubstantiated.
Kids would rather learn from smart robots than less-smart humans: new study
A new study published by Canadian researchers suggests that kindergarten-age children would rather be taught by a competent robot than an incompetent human.
‘Using waste material makes sense’: Mysterious artist Junko turns trash into giant sculptures
A mysterious, Montreal-based street artist named Junko is generating buzz in Metro Vancouver with futuristic, bug-like sculptures made from old car parts, scrap metal and tossed out shoes.
New research finds subtle brain changes in pre-symptomatic Alzheimer’s patients
A new peer-reviewed study from the Medical University of South Carolina report in Brain Connectivity has found individualized brain fingerprints which can help diagnose early Alzheimer's disease.
Hamilton family raising awareness about Strep A after sudden death of toddler
A Hamilton, Ont., family is hoping to raise awareness about Strep A after the tragic death of their two-year-old.
Montreal
-
Quebec police officer stabbed and killed during arrest, second wounded
A Quebec provincial police officer was fatally stabbed Monday night while performing an arrest in Louiseville, west of Trois-Rivieres, Que. The Surete du Quebec (SQ) has confirmed the identity of the officer, Sgt. Maureen Breau, who had been on the force for over 20 years. She was assigned to the post of the MRC de Maskinonge. Another officer was injured during the incident, but their life is not in danger.
-
Police identify last two victims of Old Montreal fire, both 18 years old
Montreal police say they have identified two more victims found in the rubble of a fire in Old Montreal 12 days ago. Charlie Lacroix and Walid Belkahla, both 18, are the sixth and seventh victims of the fire.
-
Former Chambly mayor arrested by UPAC on two charges
Denis Lavoie, former mayor of the South Shore City of Chambly, was arrested Tuesday by Quebec's anti-corruption unit (UPAC) for obstruction of justice and breach of trust.
London
-
WATCH
WATCH | London fire crews tackling large barn, grass fire in southeast London, Ont.
London fire crews are currently tackling a ‘large grass fire and working barn fire’ in the southeast section of the city Tuesday afternoon and are asking the public to avoid the area.
-
Child dead in Elgin County, OPP investigating
OPP are investigating after discovering a child who was vital signs absent in West Elgin on Monday. According to police, no foul play is suspected in the child’s death.
-
Cinderblock thrown through London, Ont. bedroom window, toddler injured
A London toddler is fortunate to have avoided serious injury after a giant cinderblock came through her bedroom window in the middle of the night. Around 4 a.m. on March 26, Riiver was sleeping with her head right under the front window of her home on Emerson Avenue.
Kitchener
-
Budget 2023 prioritizes pocketbook help and clean economy, deficit projected at $40.1B
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
-
Hamilton family raising awareness about Strep A after sudden death of toddler
A Hamilton, Ont., family is hoping to raise awareness about Strep A after the tragic death of their two-year-old.
-
'They're struggling to stretch their own budget': Grocery prices impact local food budgets
A one-time grocery rebate for low income Canadians is coming at time where many residents in the region are struggling to keep up with their food bills.
Northern Ontario
-
Defence accuses Crown of compromising Sudbury murder trial as deliberations begin
As the jury began deliberating Tuesday on the fate of Robert Steven Wright, several restrictions on what can be reported about the case have been lifted. Here are a few of the items that were discussed during the trial when the jury was not present.
-
One dead, one injured in MR55 crash between pickup, tanker
The driver of a pickup truck, a 47-year-old woman, has died after a crash with a tanker on MR55 in the Greater Sudbury community of Lively on Tuesday morning, police say.
-
Federal government capping excise tax on alcohol after outcry
The increase in excise duties on all alcoholic products is being temporarily capped at two per cent starting next month instead of a planned 6.3 per cent increase.
Ottawa
-
Budget 2023 proposes across-the-board 3 per cent spending cut for government departments
The federal budget proposes an across-the-board three per cent spending cut for all departments and agencies, a belt-tightening move after years of massive growth in the federal public service.
-
Witness rescues woman from fatal house fire in Kanata
One person is dead after an early morning fire in Kanata, while another person is being treated for smoke inhalation after being rescued from the burning home by a bystander who spotted the fire while driving to the gym.
-
Budget 2023 prioritizes pocketbook help and clean economy, deficit projected at $40.1B
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
Windsor
-
‘This make us more confident’: Active attacker drills appreciated by students
In the wake of school shootings in the United States, students and staff at St. Clair College in Windsor say “active attacker” drills are a good idea.
-
WATCH
WATCH | Police seek suspect in convenience store theft with knife
Windsor police are asking the public for help identifying a robbery suspect who allegedly threatened a store clerk with a knife.
-
'It’s not fair': Tecumseh seniors irate with forced club relocation
The Golden Age Club has four weeks to pack up their belongings and vacate a municipally-owned building.
Barrie
-
-
High school students rally to support Barrie teen with terminal cancer
Innisdale Secondary School in Barrie hosted a hockey game and spirit day to honour Kevin Chao, who is stuck at home due to a terminal illness.
-
Teens lying on tracks cause emergency train stop in Tottenham, Ont.
Provincial police say a group of teenagers caused a train to make an emergency stop because they were lying on the tracks as the train approached in New Tecumseth.
Atlantic
-
Senior Mounties involved in N.S. mass shooting response either retired or in new jobs
Almost three years after a man disguised as a Mountie started murdering people in Portapique, N.S., on the night of April 18, 2020, the senior RCMP officers and staff involved in the tragic case have all either retired or moved into new jobs.
-
Budget 2023 prioritizes pocketbook help and clean economy, deficit projected at $40.1B
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
-
N.B. residents suffering from mystery brain disease call for fresh investigations
New Brunswickers suffering from a mystery neurological disorder are calling for an investigation into potential environmental causes of the health problems they've been living with for more than two years.
Calgary
-
Police investigate suspicious death in downtown Calgary high rise
Police are investigating the circumstances of the death of a woman in a residential tower in downtown Calgary.
-
Gas prices won't be record breaking, but they will be high this summer
The price of gas is heading upward and it's expected to remain high through the summer, thanks to a number of market forces.
-
15-year-old girl shot to death in northeast Calgary
A 15-year-old girl was shot and killed in the northeast Calgary community of Martindale on Tuesday.
Winnipeg
-
Winnipeg has not recorded a positive temperature since Valentine's Day. Here is how long the cold could last
Manitobans waiting for the temperature to warm up this spring will have to wait a little longer.
-
Federal budget could have big implications for Manitoba mining industry
With an insatiable demand for lithium around the world, new tax incentives unveiled in the 2023 federal budget could have big implications for Manitoba's mining industry.
-
RCMP searching for car with Saskatchewan plate in Manitoba homicide investigation
RCMP in Manitoba are asking for help in identifying a vehicle they say is connected with the death of a Brandon man last year.
Vancouver
-
Watermain rupture displaces Burnaby residents, shuts down businesses
A watermain break is causing a massive headache for hundreds of residents living in two condo towers in Burnaby's Brentwood neighbourhood.
-
'If you manage to see Uranus, that's a treat': 5 planets aligning in the sky this week
A parade of planets will be visible between the horizon and the moon just after sunset Tuesday night and for the next few days, offering sky-gazers a chance to explore the solar system with just a pair of binoculars.
-
Record new home construction needed to meet surge of new immigrants in B.C.
A new BC Real Estate Association report found a record 43,000 new homes need to be built in each of the next five years to meet demand from hundreds of thousands of newcomers.
Edmonton
-
Edmonton man comes home to find snake native to U.S. in apartment
An Edmonton man says he hasn't slept well since finding a metre-long snake that's native to the eastern and southern American states behind his couch.
-
'Long road ahead of him': Employee shot at Edmonton Pizza Hut enters physiotherapy
The Pizza Hut employee who was shot at his workplace earlier this month is on the long road to recovery, his sister has confirmed Tuesday to CTV News Edmonton.
-
New chemical in Edmonton water to help prevent lead buildup
A new colourless, odourless chemical that is designed to act as a barrier to keep lead out of Edmonton's drinking water is now running through the city's taps.