Ohio was rocked by two weak earthquakes today, with both striking in an area that has experienced ongoing seismicity in recent months. While Ohio shook, another two aftershocks also struck New Jersey, where earthquakes have continued since a primary quake struck there in April.
According to USGS, the first, and strongest, of the Ohio earthquakes struck this morning at 6:11 am; the magnitude 2.6 event struck just outside of Madison from a depth of 5 km. The second quake struck about an hour later at 7:14 am; that was a 1.7 magnitude event which also struck from a depth of 5 km.
While no damage nor injuries were reported, more than 75 people used the “Did you feel it?” reporting tool on the USGS website to report they felt shaking from the seismic activity in Ohio.
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio has deployed a seismic network with 21 seismograph stations throughout the state that continuously monitor and record earthquake activity. The Ohio Seismic Network (OhioSeis) went online in January 1999, ending a five-year gap during which there was only one operating station in Ohio. Ohio has 24/7 monitoring and coverage by seismic stations with automatic detection, location and magnitude determination.
Earthquake activity in Ohio is not common. A magnitude 2.6 earthquake struck outside of Toledo in May. Before that, an earthquake hit on March 20 about 14 miles southwest of Gallipolis; it was a magnitude 2.3 event. On February 4, an even weaker magnitude 2.0 event struck near Athens. On January 23, an earthquake of the same magnitude, 2.0, struck near Fairport Harbor.
USGS says Ohio has experienced more than 160 felt earthquakes since 1776. Most of these events caused no damage or injuries. However, 15 Ohio earthquakes resulted in property damage and some minor injuries. The largest historic earthquake in the state occurred in 1937. The 1936 event had an estimated magnitude of 5.4 and caused considerable damage in the town of Anna and in several other western Ohio communities.
USGS also reported two unrelated earthquakes in New Jersey today which were tied to an April main earthquake. A weak magnitude 1.0 earthquake hit at 6:12 am in Califon while a 1.8 magnitude event struck at 6:44 pm in Gladstone.
