
These Are The Strongest Earthquakes Felt in Each New England State
At 10:22 I heard a rumbling. My first reaction was that the washing machine in the basement was out of balance. By the time I got downstairs, I saw the washer doing its job just as it should. Then social media blew up and that's when I learned we had just had an earthquake.
The USGS reports that Maine had and very much felt a 4.1 magnitude earthquake that a few hours later was downgraded to a 3.8.
It's not very often that we feel earthquakes here in Maine, despite it being the state in New England that has experienced the most earthquakes. That got me thinking. What are the strongest earthquakes felt in each New England state? Thanks to the Northeast States Emergency Consortium, I've got the answers.
Maine
The strongest earthquake ever recorded in Maine was on March 21, 1904 and had a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale. The epicenter was located near Bar Harbor and Passamaquoddy Bay, and the earthquake was felt from Nova Scotia to Vermont and Connecticut.
READ MORE: Where is the Line Between ‘Inland’ and ‘Coastal’ for Weather Forecasts in Maine?
New Hampshire
The two strongest earthquakes ever recorded in New Hampshire were both a magnitude of 5.6 on the Richter scale and occurred on December 20 and 24, 1940. The epicenter was located near Tamworth where chimneys were damaged, plaster was cracked, tombstones were rotated and furniture was broken.
Vermont
Earthquakes centered in Vermont are very rare, but they do happen. The strongest earthquake is believed to be a magnitude 4.0 earthquake on March 31, 1953, with an epicenter in the Brandon and Rutland areas.
Massachusetts
The strongest earthquake ever recorded in Massachusetts is believed to be a magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter scale and occurred on November 18, 1755. The epicenter is believed to have been 30 miles east of Cape Ann. About one-third of the chimneys in Boston were destroyed.
Connecticut
The strongest earthquake ever recorded in Connecticut was centered in the town of Moodus, which historically has seen the most seismic activity in the state, but quakes are usually small. The strongest earthquake ever in Connecticut was on May 16, 1791, in Moodus. It's estimated to have been between 4.6 and 5.0 on the Richter scale.
Rhode Island
Of all the New England states, Rhode Island has the least amount of earthquakes with just 37 being felt since 1766. Compare that with 455 in Maine including the one on January 27, 2025. The strongest earthquake in Rhode Island is believed to be a magnitude 4.6 on June 10, 1951, just south of Westerly.
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