Where were you when the earthquake hit?

Roj Ghassemi in Ottawa says he was at home and had just gotten out of the shower when the earthquake hit and despite the quake lasting 15 seconds, it felt much longer.

CTV News Channel: Quake felt in Markham, Ont.

Meena Jossi from Markham, Ontario describes where she was when the earthquake struck and first believed her house had been hit by a car.

CTV News Channel: Witness shares account

Francesa McClain in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. talks about her experience when the 5.0 magnitude earthquake shook central Canada and says she was left speechless from the incident.

CTV News Extended: Jim Prentice with his story

The federal minister of the environment describes his surprise when his chair began to move during a live, on-air TV interview

CTV News Channel: Laurent Godin, Queen's Univ.

A geology professor at Queen's University explains why earthquakes are hard to predict and says the quake happened at 15 km depth, while the epicentre of the quake is known for being a zone with higher seismic activity than most of Canada.

CTV News Channel: Witness shares her story

Colette Mceachern from Dundas, Ont. shares her first-hand account of what happened to her when the earthquake hit and says she is shaken up from the experience.

Watch: See all Videos in the Player

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CTV Toronto readers shared their earthquake stories via Twitter.

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ctvtoronto.ca

Date: Wed. Jun. 23 2010 5:42 PM ET

A sure topic of conversation around GTA dinner tables will be "what happened to you when the earthquake hit?"

The temblor, estimated to be of 5.0-magnitude in intensity, occurred at 1:41 p.m. on Wednesday, centred about 50 kilometres north of Ottawa.

The epicentre is more than 400 kilometres from Toronto. There are reports it was felt as far north as Kirkland Lake and as far south and west as Ohio.

No serious damage was reported here in Toronto.

CTV Toronto's followers on Twitter, the social messaging service, contributed the following observations in the aftermath of the quake: (feel free to leave a comment below)

I was sleeping. Woke up wondering why my bed went all exorcist on me.
my husband (airforce experience) said it felt like a tank rolling by
7th floor office by the airport. Thought a buddy was shaking my chair. Then looked downtown for smoke thinking #g20 bombing. Then realized the walls were shaking ... Eerie!
My son came to me during the earth quake & asked what was going on. I could not believe my house was shaking
the quake was felt as far north as Kirkland Lake - my PC monitor shook, apartment shook, no damages but shaken, stirred...
i thought i was going crazy for a second... bed was shaking pretty bad. my lava lamp almost tipped over.. #earthquake was scary
I was at work Gerrard and pape and the cabinets on the wall shook and So did I !!! insane i tell ya!
It was pretty intense in North York.Was actually asleep,thought it was a dream,building was shaking,bed was moving
I thought maybe my cookie was just that good, not that a natural disaster was happening.
We have stuff falling off the shelves on the 5th floor & my chair was rolling! *whee*
Myself and others thought we were just light headed until we saw things shaking. Some people didn't even notice!
i was falling asleep on my chair and i felt the floor shaking ! reallly strong , and scarry . Happened in Ajax
Wow! For a second I just thought I was crazy. Kind of scary feeling a building shake when your 18 floors up
South Etobicoke didnt feel anything either...Just called my kids daycare and they didnt feel a thing!
my wind chimes in the kitchen started moving & my mom said for a joke maybe its a earthquake only to find out it was. In Scarb!
We felt the tremor in Niagara, the house was shaking.
Big shake at Avenue & Eglinton. Was also felt in Financial district, a couple floors up in the air!
Def felt it at Queen and Spadina. I live in Toronto Community Housing and sorta thought my building was finally collapsing...
Watched some crazy waves on the lake, while the Queens Quay terminal shook!
I was in the upper level of my home in Missisauga and the house was literally rocking! Hope the nuclear plants are OK.
my son and dog were freaking out. Felt it here in Markham.
I realized when all my lamps were shaking and my bed moving something was up. I thought I was going crazy in Glen Morris, ON.
in orillia and I thought it was someone running upstairs until I realized the whole house was shaking!

Whoever first made the joke about the earthquake causing a tsunami in the fake lake at the G20 media centre, thanks. Many people got a laugh from that line.

If you have any still or video images that help tell the story of the earthquake, please consider submitting them to MyNews. Thanks!

Comments are now closed for this story

Gerry Lincoln
said
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I've experienced quite a few minor earthquakes in California but only one other quake here in Toronto (1990, early in the morning).

I was lying down, watching President Obama on CNN as he announced that he had accepted General McChrystal's resignation.

Suddenly it felt like I was on a waterbed.

The sensation was over all too quickly . . .

Manisha
said
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Our condo building in Brampton is undergoing some underground construction work in parking garage for 2-3 months. When the earthquake hit, my first thought was some support is broken and the building was about to collapse. Then I noticed every object in my room shaking including my bed and computer desk and felt like the walls were about to shatter. Due to my previous experience I realised that it was an earth quake. It was very frightening. I notified building security right away. They did not notice anything on ground level.

Marion
said
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I was sitting in a parking lot phoning my friend when my car started to shake back and forth I thought something was wrong with my car, when my friend answered the phone she said she was lying in her bed and it was shaking and she said I think its an earthquake

Jolene
said
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I was on the nineteenth floor of my apartment in downtown Ottawa. The first thing I heard was something that sounded like a massive freight train rumbling past and then everything (the entire building) shifted back and forth very quickly for about a minute or two. It scared the sh** out of me. I bolted to the elevator (which I'm not going to do if it happens again!) and went down to the street where masses of people were milling around. My first earthquake. Surreal and crazy!

Brad
said
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I was sitting in my home office in Point Edward, ON, (near Sarnia), when my office chair, (and me) began rocking....I thought I was having a medical issue and checked my pulse then my cats came running in and hid under my desk.

Irene Shishis
said
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I was laying down in bed this afternoon reading a book when suddenly I felt a rumbling feeling which seemed to be coming from the floor. I thought at first it was reverberations from a passing truck or maybe a jackhammer from the new Trent University construction site across the street here in Oshawa.The rumbling grew in intensity and my bed started to shake along with my heavy mirrored dresser. Objects fell over on my nightstand as I leaped out of bed and my teenaged son ran into the room, asking why the house was shaking! I have never felt an earthquake before but somehow knew instinctively what it was. My mind was racing, wondering what to do when just as suddenly, it stopped. Thirty seconds isn't long, but when the earth is shaking under your feet it seems terrifyingly longer. It was hours later dreading another tremor, before my body stopped shaking.Irene ShishisOshawa, ON

Jackie
said
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I was at work in Windermere ON when it hit. I had just finished dumping some weeds into the back of the golf cart and sat down on the seat for a minute and the cart started rocking as if it were floating on water for about a minute and then it stopped. Not enough to truly alarm me.

Peter
said
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I was eating lunch at home in Mississauga when my soup began to wobble, then stuff on shelves began to rock and click together. Didn't know what to make of it, but it seemed kind of cool.

laurie mellor
said
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my parents log cabin (chalet) is 20 minutes away from Gracefield. at Mont.Ste.Marie a ski resort.They were in kingsotn at the time. They just phoned. and said it was hit hard the neighbors had to run out of their place it was so shaking.they checked on my parents place and said everything on the shelves in the kitchen all their plates glasses etc are crashed on the floor as well as the bathroom and living room. they are heading up asap to see the damage .Perhaps structural . it was hit hard.

Ewelina
said
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I was in the shower (basement) and thought my legs were going numb; I didn't realize the ground was vibrating and thought I was going crazy. Turns out I'm sane.

Christie
said
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I was at work at AECL and I thought It was a truck going by. It set off a few fire alarms It was a bit unsettling but there was no damage or injuries so we all went back to work.

J Role
said
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I felt the earth quake
I thought it was Drake
Layin down a take
With a funky break.

MJ
said
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I was on the computer when the screen staring shaking and the chair I was sitting in started as well. I lasted about 10 seconds or so. Their are alot of thing in life I still want to experience but this isn't one of them.

Betty
said
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The earthquake triggered a tsunami in the #G20 fake lake.

DON
said
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I was under my car and did not feel any thing.What are all you people drinking or smoking.

Jay
said
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I was in Europe for the great black out and now I'm in the US when the earthquake happens.

Maybe I should put everyone on notice when I leave the country ;-)

Amanda Horsley
said
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I was at home sick, just taken some antibiotics and oxycocet and gotten into bed. My bed started shaking and the building started rocking and creaking a little. I live 6th floor in glass condo. I thought 'wow' these meds are serious, but then I realized the bed was actually moving. I immediately thought of that scene in the Exorcist. But I jumped out of bed and got dressed in a hurry, suddenly having an image of the building collapsing and getting caught naked in the rubble! It was pretty scary for a few seconds.

I went back to bed, and meds kicked in, I slept for 2 hours and have only just found out that we had an Earthquake! WOW

Aamir
said
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I live in London, Ontario and at around 1:45PM my wife who sitting on a sofa asked me that why she and the sofa is moving? At that time we had no idea that it was an earthquake. I myself did not feel the shake, probably because I was walking in the house.

saurabh
said
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just imagine about those who were enjoying the view of Toronto from the one and only C.N.Tower.

Jackie
said
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I was having lunch at home in Burlington, couch, tv table, computer and the floor was shaking, I thought I was dizzy,I went outside thinking perhaps the neighbours would be out no one was so I thought for sure I had imagined it

E. Dell'Untro
said
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I was talking on the phone to a friend about the weather and leaning against a heavy granite counter top and felt the granite actually shaking. I thought it must be the men in the back working on the interlocking patio. It was the earthquake tremors. I also thought it looked a little windy outside. It just went on for a few seconds. I live in Woodbridge, Ontario where we are concerned about Tornado's not earthquakes! Evelyn.

Alisha
said
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was working at Leslie St and Yorkmills Rd. In a 4 storey building, felt it rock back and forth for about 5 seconds. Evacuated the building, all doing well. Felt sick and light headed. Wow! what an experience.

Heather
said
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Was in an office in Owen Sound and thought someone was shaking my chair..it was pretty scary for a minute.

ChrisPember from Ingersoll
said
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I was sleeping in my bed (worked nightshift) and the quake woke me up. I thought I was dreaming of an earthquake then checked the news and discovered that it really happened.

Ashley
said
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uh.. i was at school and i stood outside by my favorite tree and then it started to shake and i started to shake aswell.. I got so freaked out.. it was my graduation.

Denise Dumouchel
said
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I was playing a game of cribbage on the computer when I felt the desk and chair swaying and shaking; I thought I was having an episode of vertigo or that heavy trucks on the highway close by were shaking the ground and I confirmed that nothing of the sort was happening. Then I looked at my plant next to the desk and saw that the leaves were shaking. Then I mentioned to my son-in-law what had happened earlier and he told me that an earthquake had been felt in Ontario and Quebec. So, that is when I realized that I had just felt my first earthquake. I have always lived here in Timmins, norther Ontario.

sarah goyette
said
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The quake hit me at my grade six/Sk grad at Leslie park public school in Ottawa On. At first we thought it was a truck, but then we realized it was to shaky. Pieces from our gym roof started falling and people started yelling earthquake. I ran to my mom and dad and then ran outside. Kids were crying and people were wide eyed. When they said it was clear everyone went back into the gym to proceed with the event. I will always remember my grade six grad.

Agnes Hutchison
said
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Hi I felt it I wass sitting watching tennis and my chair shook I thought I had been concentrating to hard as it wasa close game little did I know how close?

Andrew
said
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I was in Bayshore mall, a large shopping mall in Ottawa, I was eating in the food court when everything just started shakeing. People did not know what to do so we all ran outside and some called 911 but there was no service. It was a good thing noone was injured

adwtoronto
said
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I was in my condo 20th floor at Jarvis/Carlton in Toronto and it scared me and my dog - he immediately jumped up from the floor so I had to grab him. The building rattled, the plants shaking and the building seemed to sway left to right. Lasted about 10 secs or so. Really made me feel uncomfortable.

Komal
said
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Workin on the 16th Floor of Downtown
Could hear the building windows rattling.

Mary Ann
said
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Our condo building in Ottawa has been experiencing continuous mild vibration and rumbling noises from jackhammers for the past 4 to 5 weeks as our underground parking garage is being rebuilt. When the earthquake hit, I was lying down, reading. My first thought was that the jackhammers broke some concrete support structure and that our building was about to implode. Quite frightening for a few moments !

Kate
said
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I was at my apartment at Wellesley and Sherbourne and about five seconds before it hit, my dog jumped off the couch and was sick to her stomach, and then ran over to me just when the shaking started. It's crazy how animals can sense these types of things.

naomi moore
said
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i was sitting down watching tv i felt the couch shake and dishes rattle.it was a very intense moment!

Linda
said
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Earthquake was felt clearly in South Porcupine Ontario (near Timmins). My desk was shaking and water cooler was rocking, ceiling fan/light chains were tapping the glass.

sarah goyette
said
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i forgot to mention i live in ottawa

kelly
said
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I was in my bedroom and I thought that the floor was going to cave in. The house shook along with me. It was an experience like no other. Very scary.

sarah goyette
said
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I was at my grade six/SK grad when the earthquake hit. Our gym started to shake. At first we thought it was a truck , But then realized everything started to shake and pieces from the gym roof were falling. There was panic and I was almost crying. After it all ended we continued our grad and everything turned out well. This is definitely a grad I will always remember!!!

Karen Dubue
said
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I live in Ottawa and was just getting out of the shower when it all happened. Lost crystal out of my cabinet and lost some of my motorcycles of the top shelf of my kitchen cabinets. I live on the top floor of my apt. bldg and the whole bldg moved .. never felt anything like it ... as everyone has said .. sure scared the **** outta me ...

Ryan
said
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I live in Hamilton and I was in my apartment when it hit. Like most people I thought it was probably a big truck going by or something... then my couch started to move while I was on it and I heard my wall cracking! So by time I got up and grabbed my cell phone to head out the door it was all over. At that point I had all sorts of things going through my head like earthquake or some sort of explosion. I was freaked out big time!

David K.
said
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I was sitting in the kitchen in front of my laptop during the earthquake in Laval, QC, and I felt the ground rumbling and the kitchen stuff shaking. I also saw a neighbour evacuate from his house.

Kat
said
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I was in my basement apt. in Beaches, on my bed reading when my headboard starts banging against the wall. I live alone so I'm thinking, "What is this? Ghosts having sex?" Then stuff started falling off my kitchen counter. THEN I knew! Scary! lol

Dave
said
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I live in Brantford ON, in an 8 story building. At 8 floors up I could really feel the earthquake. Everything was shaking, it felt like someone was shaking me by the shoulders.

suaan robson
said
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Iwas in the kitchen baking coookies and my son was in the basement we live at lombardy my mother in law felt it in sturgeon falls

Sam
said
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I was outside entering the house. It was at the tail end of the shaking when I heard noise from the closet doors just stopping. I would say I missed most of the action.