This text is a translation of an article from CTV News
In fact, Montreal is one of the areas in Quebec where the risk of earthquakes is highest, according to Earthquakes Canada.
“Starting from the south, we have the western Quebec seismic zone, which extends from Témiscaming to the Ottawa Valley, via Montreal,” explains Yajing Liu, associate professor in the department of science. Earth and Planets from McGill University. “It then goes up along the St. Lawrence River to the Charlevoix seismic zone, where a meteorite impact crater was formed approximately 350 million years ago.
Ms. Liu adds that the province also includes the Bas-Saint-Laurent seismic zone.
“These are the three main active seismic zones in eastern Canada,” she explains, noting that this has been the case for hundreds of years.
“We know that in history, like in Montreal, there was a magnitude 5 earthquake, and 5.8 in the 17th or 18th century,” said Ms. Liu. “In the Charlevoix seismic zone, we also know that there have been earthquakes of magnitude five, six and above since the 17th century.”
She admits that when people think of earthquakes, they are more likely to mention Japan or California.
“In Quebec, we generally don’t think we’re in an active seismic zone because most of the earthquakes we experience here are small, much smaller than the big earthquakes in Japan or California,” she said.
However, according to the Canadian National Seismographic Network, the seismic zone of western Quebec, which includes Montreal, experiences approximately 150 earthquakes per year.
Earthquakes Canada adds that on average, an earthquake occurs in the seismic zone of western Quebec every five days.
“We have a fair share of magnitude three earthquakes,” Ms. Liu said. “If they are close enough, for example less than 50 kilometers from the epicenter, we feel the shaking.”
Pierre Babinsky, director of public affairs for the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), says Quebecers tend to ignore the many minor tremors that occur each year in the province.
“I think people know there are earthquakes in Quebec, but they don’t consider them a threat to them or their property,” he said.
A survey conducted by the BAC in 2019 found that 33% of respondents believed they were already insured against earthquake risks.
Mr. Babinsky explains that basic home insurance covers most “usual perils,” but an earthquake is not automatically one of them.
He says the amount a person can pay for earthquake insurance varies widely depending on the value of their home, and the deductible is often much higher.
In addition, only 8% of Quebecers think their house is at risk of being damaged by an earthquake.
“If you don’t think it’s a threat to you, you’ll be less likely to buy something that seems a little more expensive than it should be,” Mr. Babinsky said. “It’s a question of risk perception. If you don’t feel in danger, you will be less likely to protect yourself.”
The number of homes insured for earthquake damage has increased slightly, notes the IBC, from three to four percent in 2018 to seven percent in 2023.
“What we recommend is that people look for protection, coverage, rather than a premium,” emphasized Mr. Babinsky. “If you just buy a premium, you risk neglecting certain coverages that could be important and have great importance in the event of a catastrophe.”
If you ever find yourself in an earthquake situation, the Great Shake Out earthquake simulation movement recommends the following three steps to protect yourself:
- Drop (on the ground to reduce the risk of being hit by falling objects);
- Cover yourself (under a solid piece of furniture on all fours to protect vital organs) and;
- Hold on (until the shaking stops).
If shelter is not available, crouch near an interior wall and hold on to the head and neck with your arms and hands.
