Unusually powerful M4.1 Earthquake struck on Tuesday Evening near Toronto in Canada.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on January 28th, 2026. Last updated February 18th, 2026.

In the evening of Tuesday January 27th, 2026, an unusually powerful MAG-4.1 earthquake hit under land 98 kilometer from Toronto in Canada. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. Shaking may have been felt by a total of 14 million people. Another nearby country is The United States.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Canada, 98 kilometer (61 mi) north-northeast of Toronto in Ontario. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 9 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Jan 27, 2026 22:59 (Toronto Time) - Jan 28, 2026 03:59 Universal Time.
Location:	98 km NNE of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Coordinates 44°33'10"N 79°7'26"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 4.1 Detected by 27 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.101 .
Depth:	9 km (5 mi) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	V Moderate On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.

Roughly 14 million people exposed to shaking

An estimated 14 million have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is V, which corresponds with moderate shaking and very light damage. Roughly 2,450 people are expected to be exposed to this level. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 13 million). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Canada .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
887,200	II	Very weak	None
13,420,000	III	Weak	Probably none
135,500	IV	Light	Likely none
2,450	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

Canada and The United States are both located within 300km distance of the epicenter of the earthquake.

The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Orillia in Ontario, Canada. Orillia is located 24 kilometer (15 mi) east-southeast of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in Orillia is estimated to be around level IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (light shaking, likely no damage).

Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Toronto is located 98 km to the south-southwest and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage). Mississauga is located 116 km to the south-southwest and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage). Brampton is located 109 km to the south-southwest and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
24 km (15 mi) WNW from epicenter	Orillia Ontario, Canada.	IV Light
38 km (24 mi) SE from epicenter	Lindsay Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
43 km (27 mi) SW from epicenter	Keswick Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
46 km (29 mi) WSW from epicenter	Barrie Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
50 km (31 mi) S from epicenter	Uxbridge Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
56 km (35 mi) SSW from epicenter	East Gwillimbury Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
56 km (35 mi) NNW from epicenter	Bracebridge Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
62 km (39 mi) SSW from epicenter	Newmarket Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
64 km (40 mi) WNW from epicenter	Midland Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
67 km (42 mi) SSW from epicenter	Aurora Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
70 km (43 mi) ESE from epicenter	Peterborough Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
71 km (44 mi) W from epicenter	Wasaga Beach Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
73 km (45 mi) S from epicenter	Pickering Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
74 km (46 mi) SW from epicenter	Alliston Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
76 km (47 mi) SSE from epicenter	Oshawa Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
77 km (48 mi) S from epicenter	Markham Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
78 km (48 mi) S from epicenter	Ajax Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
80 km (50 mi) SSW from epicenter	Richmond Hill Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
82 km (51 mi) S from epicenter	Milliken Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
83 km (52 mi) S from epicenter	Rouge Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
83 km (52 mi) S from epicenter	Malvern Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
84 km (52 mi) S from epicenter	Steeles Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
84 km (52 mi) S from epicenter	Agincourt North Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
85 km (53 mi) SSW from epicenter	Vaughan Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
86 km (53 mi) S from epicenter	Agincourt South-Malvern West Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
86 km (53 mi) S from epicenter	L'Amoreaux Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
87 km (54 mi) S from epicenter	West Hill Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
87 km (54 mi) S from epicenter	Tam O'Shanter-Sullivan Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
87 km (54 mi) W from epicenter	Collingwood Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
88 km (55 mi) S from epicenter	Woburn Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
88 km (55 mi) S from epicenter	Bendale Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
88 km (55 mi) SSW from epicenter	Don Valley Village Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
89 km (55 mi) SSW from epicenter	Newtonbrook West Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
90 km (56 mi) S from epicenter	Parkwoods-Donalda Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
90 km (56 mi) S from epicenter	Dorset Park Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
90 km (56 mi) SSW from epicenter	Willowdale East Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
90 km (56 mi) SSW from epicenter	Willowdale Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
90 km (56 mi) SSW from epicenter	Westminster-Branson Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
91 km (57 mi) S from epicenter	Wexford/Maryvale Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
92 km (57 mi) S from epicenter	Banbury-Don Mills Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
92 km (57 mi) SSW from epicenter	York University Heights Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
94 km (58 mi) S from epicenter	Clairlea-Birchmount Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
95 km (59 mi) SSW from epicenter	Glenfield-Jane Heights Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
96 km (60 mi) SSW from epicenter	Downsview-Roding-CFB Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
97 km (60 mi) SSW from epicenter	Mount Pleasant West Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
97 km (60 mi) SSW from epicenter	Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
98 km (61 mi) SSW from epicenter	Toronto Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
100 km (62 mi) SSW from epicenter	West Humber-Clairville Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
109 km (68 mi) SSW from epicenter	Brampton Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
116 km (72 mi) SSW from epicenter	Mississauga Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
156 km (97 mi) SSW from epicenter	Hamilton Ontario, Canada.	III Weak
116 mi (186 km) S from epicenter	Buffalo New York, The United States.	III Weak
174 mi (280 km) SSW from epicenter	Erie Pennsylvania, The United States.
288 km (179 mi) ENE from epicenter	Gatineau Quebec, Canada.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is V.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 542 people

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 542 people have reported shaking in 67 places, all within Canada.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada: 97 people.
Brooklin, Ontario, Canada: 58 people.
Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario, Canada: 35 people.
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: 32 people.
Lindsay, Ontario, Canada: 29 people.
Beaverton, Ontario, Canada: 27 people.
Sutton, Ontario, Canada: 25 people.
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada: 17 people.
Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada: 17 people.
Cannington, Ontario, Canada: 17 people.

Risk of aftershocks?

We monitor for foreshocks or aftershocks that have a magnitude of 2.5+ and occur within 100km (62 mi) of the epicenter of this earthquake. So far no such earthquakes have been detected.

Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

This is an unusually powerful earthquake

No earthquake of this strength has struck this region for a long time. Our data goes back 10 years, and no earthquakes measuring a magnitude of 4.1 or higher have been detected within 300 km (186 mi) of this epicenter.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 4.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 9 km (5 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 18/02/26 00:48 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.