Michigan Earthquake: 4.2 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Southern Michigan


A rare Michigan earthquake was felt by residents across the southern portion of The Wolverine State Saturday afternoon, The Detroit Free Press is reporting.

At about 12:23 p.m. local (Eastern) time, the 4.2 magnitude quake struck near the Michigan town of Galesburg, about 65 miles south of Lansing. Rob Dale of the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said in an e-mail to the Free Press that the Michigan earthquake caused structural damage to at least one Lansing building, but declined to elaborate.

“While on the low end of the scale, it is still quite rare for Michigan.”

Residents reported the quake shaking their houses and scaring their pets.

News of the Michigan earthquake quickly disseminated on social media, and the term “Michigan Earthquake” quickly became a trending topic on Twitter.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) compiled reports of the earthquake to create a map. If the varying reports are correct, Saturday’s Michicagan earthquake was also felt in parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, and even Pennsylvania.

Earthquakes are rare west of the Rocky Mountains, and are extremely rare in Michigan, reports the USGS.

“Most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains has infrequent earthquakes. Here and there earthquakes are more numerous, for example in the New Madrid seismic zone centered on southeastern Missouri… and elsewhere. However, most of the enormous region from the Rockies to the Atlantic can go years without an earthquake large enough to be felt, and several U.S. states have never reported a damaging earthquake.”

In fact, the largest earthquake in Michigan’s history took place in 1947 – a 4.6 magnitude earthquake, according to WXMI (Grand Rapids).

“Damage was heaviest in the area southeast of Kalamazoo at Athens, Bronson, Coldwater, Colon, Matteson Lake, Sherwood, and Union City. Chimneys were damaged, windows and plaster were broken, and brick cornices were downed. Also felt in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Ontario, Canada.”

As of this post, there are no injuries reported associated with the Michigan earthquake.

Did you feel the Michigan earthquake? Share your experiences in the Comments below.

[Image courtesy of: Shutterstock/phoelix]

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