An earthquake centered on the coast of Maine rattled the region Monday, causing light relief across the state and parts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut.
The U.S. Geological Survey recorded Quake as a powerful 3.8-magnitude force that struck just before 10:30 a.m. The epicenter was off the coast of York Harbor, Maine, about 45 miles southwest of Portland.
The National Weather Service has not issued any tsunami watches, warnings, or advisories in the aftermath. So far, there have been no reports of deaths or significant damage.
USGS forecasts indicate a 15% chance of at least one magnitude 3 or higher aftershock within the next week.
The event was the strongest earthquake measured in the northeastern United States since April, when a 4.8 magnitude quake struck near Lebanon, New Jersey. The shaking was the strongest in the Northeast in more than a decade, according to USGS records.
The agency wrote to X that the shaking was “a reminder that earthquakes are rare, but not unheard of along the Atlantic coast.”
Earthquakes in the Northeast are relatively rare. This means the region is less prepared for earthquakes than the country’s seismic hotspots, and even minor shaking can cause damage.
The Maine Office of Emergency Management confirmed the morning earthquake in an X statement, adding that people who felt tremors in the area should report their observations to the USGS Earthquake Hazard Program.
