Minor earthquake strikes Quebec, Canada

A modest earthquake has been detected near Lachute, in southwest Quebec, northwest of Montreal, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRC).

The quake occurred at 1:36 p.m. (local time) and reverberated for about 15 seconds, There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

NRC initially rated the quake at 4.7 on the Richter scale, but later downgraded it to 4.3. The U.S. Geological Survey ranked it as 3.7 on its website.

Nonetheless the tremors were reportedly felt as far away as Ottawa.

Lachute is close to where the Ottawa River intersects the Quebec-Ontario border.

Last June, an earthquake of magnitude 5.0 struck western Quebec and eastern Ontario. Its epicenter was near Val-des-Bois, Que., about 56 kilometers northeast of Ottawa.