Small Earthquake Reported Near Holliston

BOSTON (CBS) - A small earthquake was reported near Holliston, about 20 miles west of Boston Tuesday night.

The USGS says the magnitude 1.5 earthquake was reported at 8:19 p.m.

The Holliston Fire Department said there were numerous reports of towns in the region hearing an explosion or buildings shaking, but there are no reports of any damage.

Medway Police say they received about 50 calls around the time of the earthquake. "Initially it was folks heard a loud bang in the area, their homes shook, their buildings shook," Medway Town Administrator Michael Boynton said.

John Ebel of the Weston Observatory says this earthquake was felt because it was centered in a populated area.

"Most of the earthquakes in eastern New England tend to be really shallow near the surface which makes them more likely to be felt," Ebel says. "What they're really hearing is the seismic waves that were in the earth, they come up to the surface and shake the earth like a loudspeaker."

WBZ-TV Meteorologist Eric Fisher says the small quakes are common in New England.

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• Earthquake