According to USGS, an earthquake rattled the Detroit metro area this morning from a quake with an epicenter in southwestern Ontario near the U.S. / Canada border with Michigan. At 10:32 am, from a depth of only 2.1 km, the magnitude 2.9 earthquake struck.  The epicenter was located near the town of Amherstburg. There were no reports of damage or injuries in either Canada or the United States.

According to USGS, earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or less are rarely felt or heard by people, but once they exceed 2.0, as this event did, more and more people can feel them. While damage is possible with magnitude 3.0 events or greater, significant damage and casualties usually don’t occur until the magnitude of a seismic event rises to a 5.5 or greater rated event.

Ontario is generally considered a low-to-moderate seismic activity zone. Most earthquakes felt in the province are minor or originate in more active regions like Quebec or elsewhere in the United States.

Likewise, Detroit and the state of Michigan have a very limited history of minor earthquakes, as the area is not located on a major fault line. While rare, small earthquakes with a magnitude below 3.0  occasionally occur, and the area can feel distant, stronger quakes.