10 earthquakes have quietly rattled Ramara Twp. over the last month

Researchers with Natural Resources Canada say 11 earthquakes have been detected in the area

Ten earthquakes have hit Ramara Twp. since the magnitude 3.7 earthquake that shook much of Central Ontario last month.

But these ones were small and not felt.

According to Chris Boucher, Seismic Analyst with Natural Resources Canada, the ten earthquakes are considered aftershocks, which ranged in magnitude from 0.8 to 1.5, below the level that can be felt.

Boucher says people can feel earthquakes when they reach a magnitude of roughly 2 or higher if people are near the epicenter, the middle of the earthquake.

He says aftershocks are common after moderate or large earthquakes and usually won’t be as intense as the big one, decreasing in frequency as time goes on after the mainshock.

These smaller earthquakes are caused by the earth readjusting after the mainshock.

• WATCH: Seismologist discusses earthquake felt in Orillia

To feel an earthquake, multiple factors come into play like the depth of the earthquake and the soil conditions. Areas with softer sediments like mud, silt and sand can amplify ground motion, according to Boucher.

Another factor affecting the degree in which someone can feel an earthquake is the kind of building they’re in. Movement can be felt more on upper floors of tall buildings, Boucher says.

While earthquakes in Ramara Twp. are rare, moderate earthquakes with a 5 magnitude have happened in the southern regions of the Southern Great Lakes Seismic Zone, which surrounds Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, considered a low seismic activity area. Those big ones were back in the 1980s and 1990s. There was also one recorded 20 kilometres northwest of Collingwood in 2005.

Boucher says there are typically around 20 earthquakes every year in the Southern Great Lakes Seismic Zone.

Even though they don’t happen very often in the region, Natural Resources Canada wants to remind the public of the importance of being prepared for an earthquake.

The organization suggests securing objects and heavy furniture, knowing and practicing steps to take during an earthquake like the drop, cover and hold on method, and having an emergency plan that includes an emergency kit.