4.4 magnitude earthquake felt across eastern Quebec
Posted Jun 18, 2026 12:09:14 PM.
Last Updated Jun 18, 2026 01:00:41 PM.
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake was felt across parts of eastern Quebec on Thursday morning, shaking communities throughout the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie and Côte-Nord regions, along the St. Laurence River.
According to Earthquakes Canada, the quake struck at approximately 10:21 a.m. Its epicentre was located in the St. Lawrence River, about 25 kilometres northeast of Mont-Joli.
Residents reported feeling the tremor in several communities, including Rivière-du-Loup, Rimouski, Baie-des-Chaleurs, Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles.
No injuries or property damage have been reported following the earthquake.
It was not felt in the nation’s capital, unlike one that hit April 14, about 77 kilometres north of Ottawa.
It was a 3.9 magnitude quake that struck near Shawville, Que. at12:36 p.m.
Carleton University studying infrastructure risks during quakes
In the Carleton University Canada Foundation for Innovation-funded structures lab, civil and environmental engineering researchers are conducting tests to understand how buildings respond to intense shaking, and how they can be designed differently to minimize injuries and damage.
Professor Jeffrey Erochko said there are seismic hazards in eastern Ontario.
The Ottawa Valley, up to Montreal along the St. Lawrence River are in a moderate seismic zone, Erochko explained.
“The difference between the west and the east is that in the east, although the earthquakes we could get can be just as big as the west, but they happen less often,” he said. “But it’s been a while since we’ve had a big one.”
Suspended ceilings traditionally look like a grid system with tiles in place. They are often found in office buildings and in schools, researchers explained. The data collected by the lab shows that they are one of the most commonly damaged components of buildings during a quake.
“When they fall, they are both a falling hazard, and they can prevent barriers to people evacuating the building,” PhD student Cameron Flude said in an interview.
