[A magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck parts of New England on Monday morning, with shaking felt from Boston to Portland, Maine, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake was centered about 7 miles southeast of York Harbor, Maine, and struck at a depth of about 8 miles. The York County Emergency Management Agency urged residents not to call 911 unless they needed urgent help, as the shaking was countywide but posed no risk to the public.
The USGS Earthquakes account tweeted that the quake “reminds us that earthquakes are unusual but not unheard of along the Atlantic Seaboard.” Seismologist Susan Hough told CNN that the tremor was probably not related to a magnitude 2.4 quake felt in northern New Jersey and the New York City metro area on Friday, as the epicenters were too far apart.
Hough explained that the Atlantic Seaboard is a passive plate boundary, resulting in smaller and less frequent earthquakes compared to the active plate boundary on the West Coast. However, significant quakes like Monday’s 3.8 magnitude tremor can lead to more shaking in the region, as the crust is disturbed.
Moderately damaging earthquakes strike the New England region every few decades, and smaller tremors are felt about twice a year, according to the USGS. The most recent New England earthquake to cause moderate damage was a magnitude 5.6 quake that rocked central New Hampshire in 1940.
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