'my house shook' — earthquake rumbles across essex county
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the u.s. geological survey said a 2.9-magnitude earthquake struck near amherstburg on sunday, april 26, 2026. (u.s. geological survey)
u.s. geological survey
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windsor star
a minor earthquake shook the ground across essex county sunday morning, according to the u.s geological survey.
people across the region posted reports of feeling the earth move on social media.
“i am in oxley and my house shook as if a very large truck drove in front of the house,” one person wrote.
the u.s. geological survey said the 2.9 magntiude earthquake hit 2.1 kilometres below ground at 10:32 a.m.
earthquakes canada pegged the depth closer to five kilometres. that agency said the seismic event happened at latitude 42.02 north and longitude 83.01 west — 11 kilometres southeast of amherstburg and 31 kilometres south of windsor.
earthquakes canada said there were no reports of damage, and none are expected.
the quake was “lightly felt” in amherstburg, said the agency, which is a program within the geological survey of canada.
“we felt and heard it in amherstburg,” another person posted on social media. “our house shook and the loud rumbling sounded like thunder.”
local resident carolyn dopson said she was sitting at her kitchen table sunday morning when she first noticed what she described as a subtle “vibration” move through her home, travelling from the front of the house toward the back.
the vibration lasted about a second before a “low rumble that shook the house” followed, she said.
“my cats took off and ran downstairs,” dopson told the star.
her husband, andy, who was downstairs at the time, also felt the tremor.
“i thought it was thunder at first, and then i thought this can’t be thunder because it’s going on too long,” he added.
multiple earthquakes have hit the essex county region over the decades. there have been at least 11 with a 4.0-magnitude or higher since 1884, according to earthquakes canada. that year, on sept. 19, a 5.0-magnitude quake hit the area.
in 2023, there were two local earthquakes. earthquakes canada said 4.3-magnitude and 4.4 magnitude quakes struck in close proximity to each other that year on aug. 28.
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the federal agency, part of natural resources canada, said the largest earthquake to hit the region, a 5.3-magnitude shaker, shook the local area on march 2, 1937.
if you felt the earthquake, researchers want to hear from you. the u.s geological survey and earthquakes canada both have surveys on their websites.
— with a file from millar holmes-hill
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