Magnitude 3.8 earthquake off Maine coast: Panic in Greater Boston

Magnitude 3.8 earthquake off Maine coast shakes New England, causing mild panic in Greater Boston. No major damage reported, but tremors felt widely.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports that a 3.8-magnitude earthquake that affected the New England coastline from Augusta to Cape Cod occurred on Monday morning off the coast of Maine.

At around 10.22 a.m., the earthquake struck roughly 6.8 miles off the shore of York Harbor, Maine. The area was not under a tsunami watch or warning, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Geological Survey's chart revealed that tremors were felt throughout New England. Although there were no complaints of structural damage, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced on social media that it had received reports of the tremors. Following the earthquake, residents were urged by MEMA to inspect their homes for possible damage and to see how their elderly relatives or neighbors were doing. The Maine Emergency Management Agency asked residents to only call 911 in case of an emergency. According to agency spokesperson Vanessa Corson, the earthquake did not cause any major damage. Additionally, she stated that no damage was reported by the local emergency management agencies.

No reports to the state's 911 number indicating damage or injuries were received, according to the New Hampshire Department of Safety. "We haven't heard of any problems," Corson stated. Everything seemed to be going well after our conversation with the directors of Cumberland County and York EMA.

"An earthquake of this magnitude is unlikely to cause damage," said John Ebel, senior research scientist at Weston Observatory and professor of geophysics at Boston College.

According to Ebel, "The earthquake could have been felt strongly by people, and it might have startled some, but it was well below the threshold for causing damage." According to Ebel, damage can typically be caused by earthquakes with a magnitude of five or greater.

The seismic activity on Monday, he said, was "standard earthquake activity" for the area. Although locals seldom ever notice them, Ebel pointed out that New England sees a number of little earthquakes each month, usually with magnitudes between 1.5 and 2.

According to the organization that tracks seismic activity, there may be small aftershocks from this earthquake.

Boston experienced shocks from a 4.8-magnitude earthquake that was located close to Lebanon, New Jersey, last spring.

Earthquakes on the East Coast are felt across a wider area than those on the West Coast, according to the USGS. USGS geophysicist Paul Caruso told the Associated Press following an April earthquake that rocks on the East Coast are more effective than those on the West Coast at transmitting seismic energy over long distances.