4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Felt In Boston Area
BOSTON (CBS) - A 4.0 magnitude earthquake was felt across New England Tuesday night.
The USGS says the earthquake, which was originally reported to be a magnitude 4.6, was centered three miles west of Hollis Center, Maine and occurred at 7:12 p.m.
"We're sitting here and I'm trying to eat and next thing I know we're just hearing rumbling and I'm just chasing my food down the table. It sounded and felt like a freight train had dropped over," Sue Anderson of Biddeford, Maine told WBZ-TV.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ed Golden felt it about forty miles south of the epicenter in Kittery, Maine.
"The house was rumbling. We were wondering whether our furnace was on the fritz and it was just kickin' in and was about to explode on us," he said.
"It was momentary, probably lasted maybe five seconds, ten seconds at the most. No damage or anything, just a big rumble, a big loud rumble."
WBZ-TV's Jim Armstrong reports from Biddeford, Maine
People across Massachusetts claimed they felt their homes were shaking Tuesday evening, but there were no reports of any injuries or major damage.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency says phone service was down in some communities, but that was likely due to the volume of calls being made.
Dr. John Ebel, the director of the Weston Observatory, told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 this is a pretty big deal for this area.
"Earthquakes above magnitude 4 occur once every several years centered in the New England region. The last time we had an earthquake above magnitude 4 was in 2006 and that one was centered in Bar Harbor, Maine," he said.
The quake was measured at a depth of 4.1 miles and was felt as far west as Pittsburgh and as far south as Connecticut.
WBZ-TV's Christina Hager reports from Stoneham
WBZ-TV Meteorologist Todd Gutner says small earthquakes are not uncommon for New England.
Last August, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Virginia was felt all the way up the East Coast.
The strongest earthquake recorded in Maine happened more than 100 years ago in the Eastport area. It measured an estimated 5.7 to 5.9.
More information about Tuesday's earthquake can be found at USGS.gov.
The Red Cross says anyone who needs assistance can call 1-800-564-1234.
