Rare Earthquake Hits Central Indiana

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http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/12/30/earthquake-hits-central-indiana/

Planet Earth

Rare Earthquake Hits Central Indiana

Published December 30, 2010

| NewsCore

A magnitude 3.8 earthquake at a depth of just 3.0 miles hit central Indiana at

6:55am local time (12:55 GMT), the USGS said Thursday.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damages from the quake, which was

centered 50 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

Local newspaper the Indy Star reports le Sauce of Noblesville, Ind., was

sitting on her couch when " the house began to rattle and shake. " She added, " It

lasted probably five to seven seconds. "

On social networking site Twitter locals wrote that their houses shook, doors

rattled and the earthquake sounded like rolling thunder.

County Chief Sheriff's Deputy Steve told the Associated Press that

the department was bombarded by phone calls after the quake from people

wondering what had happened. He says some people reported hearing a loud boom.

Indiana University geologist Hamburger told Indianapolis television

station WTHR that the quake was felt across central Indiana and into western

Ohio. He said the temblor occurred in an area " that's seismically very quiet. "

The quake was initially recorded as magnitude 4.2, but upon review, the USGS

downgraded it to magnitude 3.8.

Most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains has infrequent earthquakes,

the USGS said. A magnitude 4.0 eastern U.S. earthquake typically can be felt at

many places as far as 60 miles (100 km) from where it occurred, and it

infrequently causes damage near its source.

The most damaging earthquake to hit the state occurred on September 27, 1909,

near the Illinois border. Some chimneys fell, several building walls were

cracked, light connections were severed, and pictures were shaken off the walls,

the USGS says.