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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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A magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck Monday morning off the coast of Maine was felt in at least nine states, according to United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports.
Why It Matters
Thousands of reports poured into the USGS of people feeling the earthquake as far south as New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Most reports were clustered in southern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut and into Massachusetts. There were also sporadic reports in New York.
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Social media also saw numerous reports from people claiming they felt the shaking.
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What to Know
The earthquake struck around 11 kilometers southeast of York Harbor, Maine, just before 10:30 a.m. E.T. on Monday morning.
As of 11 a.m, there were 23,000 reports on the USGS site of people feeling the quake.
The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Caribou, Maine, confirmed that an earthquake struck mid-morning on Monday, but there was no tsunami threat. In a post on X, USGS Earthquakes said the quake was "notable."
The earthquake was strong enough to shake houses, some people reported, though no notable damage reports were immediately available.
Most people relate earthquakes to occurring on the West Coast, but the East Coast isn't immune. Last April, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. Shaking from that quake also was felt across the region, including in New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
The Maine Emergency Management Agency confirmed the quake and urged people not to call 911 to report it unless there was an emergency.
The most recent comparable earthquake in the area struck in 2012, when a 4.0 magnitude earthquake hit Hollis Center, Maine.
What People Are Saying
USGS seismologist Susan Hough told Newsweek: "It's not an everyday event, but it's not unheard of geographically. Over historical times, they have happened. They're infrequent enough that we don't have a full understanding of where they happen or why they happen."
USGS in a webpage about when damage will occur with an earthquake: "There is not one magnitude above which damage will occur. It depends on other variables, such as the distance from the earthquake, what type of soil you are on, building construction, etc. That being said, damage does not usually occur until the earthquake magnitude reaches somewhere above 4 or 5."
One person posted on X: "Earthquake! Did anyone else feel it?? I'm in Southern Maine and the whole house shook like a vehicle ran into it."
Extreme weather chaser Max Velocity posted on X: "Um, Maine we good? 3.9 Magnitude Earthquake off the coast. Alaska yesterday, Maine today! Boston Massachusetts, you guys should have been able to feel this, New England friends can you confirm?"
What Happens Next
More reports are bound to pour into the USGS as more people claim to have felt the shaking. It's also possible that aftershocks could be felt in the area.
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