2.6-Magnitude Quake Near Youngstown is First Ever Recorded
by Jason Berry/ Lead Meteorologist
Updated: March 18, 7:11 pm ET
Ohio Department of Natural Resource officials confirmed a
2.6-magnitude earthquake early Friday morning near Youngstown, Ohio.
Friday's quake occurred at approximately 6:53 am EDT, registering on many of the State's 25 seismographs. With an epicenter 1.7 miles west of Youngstown State, it was the first tremor ever recorded within the immediate Youngstown area.
"It's not a big earthquake, but it was certainly enough to be felt," said ODNR geologist Dr. Michael Hansen, a coordinator with the Ohio Seismic Network.
The quake comes one week after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Japan, triggering a massive tsunami and prompting widespread warnings and fear across the Pacific Basin.
Two quakes a week apart. Coincidence? Hardly not. Tremors of 5.0 or less are routine, especially for the West Coast of the United States. Earthquakes occur daily along the Pacific Ring of Fire, and many go relatively unnoticed to human perception, due to their remote locations.
But in the Mid West however, when the Earth shakes... people feel it.
One such incident occurred in April 2008. A 5.2-magnitude earthquake, with an epicenter near West Salem, or about 38 miles northwest of Evansville, Indiana produced 30-40 minute tremor, resulting in minor structural damage. While most of the damage occurred in Southern Illinois and Indiana, shaking was felt as far west as Kansas City and east as Clarksville, Tennessee.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage with Friday's quake. However, the tremor produced a pretty sharp jolt for some residents.
"There was definitely some sharp ground motion," said Hansen.
Some Ohio residents got a rude awakening Friday morning by a 2.6-magnitude earthquake. The tremor was the first ever recorded for the immediate Youngstown area. (Credit: USGS/ Earthquake Hazards Program)
