LEAMINGTON, CANADA - Canada’s greenhouse sector felt an unfamiliar rumble late last week when an earthquake hit Windsor and Essex County. Originally clocked at a 3.6 before being upgraded to a 4.1 on the Richter scale, the event was a first for many in the area and caused a local stir.
Luckily though, despite the rarity of the quake, greenhouse production does not look to have been influenced outside of the novelty of its occurrence.
“The earthquake was more of a novelty to the locals than anything! While it was a cool experience, I can honestly say that it has not impacted business," Pure Flavor’s Ken Paglione commented, even conveying that he was one of the few who didn't feel the shake. "I don't know if it was the building I was in, but I'm sorry to say I didn't feel anything!"
Though initial news reported the quake at a 3.6, Natural Resources Canada later updated the occurence to a 4.1.
“The epicentre of the earthquake was just outside the town core,” the Amherstburg fire department said in a statement, according to BlackburnNews. “Amherstburg officials and Fermi Nuclear Plant have been in contact. It is confirmed that Fermi has been shut down since the last weekend and is at no risk of damage from the earthquake.”
While the department also cautioned the area of possible aftershocks, encouraging those who experience damage to property or any injuries to call 911, the industry assured us that fresh produce is unharmed and unaffected.
“It really wasn’t anything major. It was definitely a little odd because I never experienced an earthquake before, but the tremor lasted about 20 seconds or so,” Matt Quiring of NatureFresh™ Farms shared with me. “It kind of sounded and felt like fighter jets flying just above the house. Luckily no damage was reported and no one hurt!”
The quake could be felt throughout Essex County and parts of Michigan, according to the news source, but the Windsor and Amherstburg police services both said there have been no reports of damage.
The USGS noted that the last earthquake in Amherstburg was 2.5 magnitude event on occurred March 8, 2010.
