Earthquake off Maine coast rattles New England
An earthquake centered off the coast of Maine rattled the region Monday, causing light to moderate shaking in the state, as well as in parts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut.
The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the quake as a 3.8-magnitude temblor that struck shortly before 10:30 a.m. ET. The epicenter was off the coast of York Harbor, Maine, roughly 45 miles southwest of Portland.
The National Weather Service has not issued any tsunami watches, warnings or advisories in the aftermath, and there have been no reports of fatalities or significant damage so far.
The USGS’ forecast shows a 15% chance of at least one aftershock of magnitude 3 or above within the next week.
The event was the strongest earthquake measured in the northeastern United States since April, when a 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Lebanon, New Jersey. That shaking was the most intense in the Northeast in more than a decade, according to USGS records.
The agency wrote on X that the shaking “reminds us that earthquakes are unusual but not unheard of along the Atlantic Seaboard.”
Earthquakes in the Northeast are relatively rare, which means even minor shaking can sometimes cause damage because the region is not as prepared for quakes as the country’s seismic hot spots.
The Maine Emergency Management Agency confirmed the morning earthquake in a statement on X, adding that people who felt shaking in the area should report their observations to the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.
