O’FALLON, Ill. – Did you feel it? A small earthquake was reported Saturday morning in O’Fallon, Illinois.
The U.S. Geological Survey tracked a 2.4 magnitude earthquake in O’Fallon around 1:50 a.m. Saturday with a quake depth of 0.3 kilometers.
The USGS has received reports from at least 11 people on the earthquake as of Saturday afternoon. No injuries have been reported, and it’s unclear if the quake caused any notable damage.
Despite its small size, the earthquake serves as a reminder of the region’s susceptibility to seismic events, including those within the New Madrid Seismic Zone.
The New Madrid Seismic Zone, located in southeast Missouri and adjacent states (Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Illinois), is the most seismically active area in North America east of the Rocky Mountains. The zone generated a massive family of quakes between 1811 and 1812 that changed the course of the Mississippi River. Experts believe the New Madrid Zone has been responsible for magnitude 7 to 8 intensity earthquakes about every 500 years over the past 1,200 years.
The US Geological Survey (USGS), along with the New Madrid Seismic Network, encourages residents to report their earthquake experiences to aid scientific research.
