2.4 Magnitude Earthquake, 5th One in Just 40 Days, Recorded Near Lake Erie

Multiple earthquakes kept shaking Lake Erie located northeast of Cleveland, Ohio. At approximately 4:15 pm on Friday, the United States Geological Survey reported an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.4 in the area.

Dozens of residents have reported the shaking to authorities. At least five earthquakes of magnitude 1.6 to 2.5 have occurred during a 40-day period near Timberlake, Willowick, and Lakeline in the southeastern region of Great Lakes, all centered just off-shore.

Earthquakes in Lake Erie

The surface area of Lake Erie is the fourth largest of the five Great Lakes, although the lake's volume is the smallest. However, despite it being the shallowest of the Great Lakes, the deepest point of the lake is more than 200 feet below ground level.

A shallow section of Lake Erie beneath where this current earthquake activity has been centered is located in the northeastern part of the lake near Niagara Falls, where the lake's deepest point is located. The quakes shaking Lake Erie have been approximately 2 miles off-shore, centering around 3 miles deep.

Unlike active fault zones in the west, Ohio is only home to old faults, also known as magnetic faults, that may move from time to time, although they are extremely rare.

In spite of this, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) does not rule out the possibility of a damaging earthquake in the area, according to Weather Boy.

Seven Earthquakes Reported Near Lake Erie

• January 4 (8:20 a.m.) - magnitude 2.8 earthquake (northwest of Timberlake)

• January 5 (5.25 a.m.) - magnitude 1.9 earthquake (north of Timberlake)

• January 27 (3:53 a.m.) - magnitude 2.1 earthquake (northwest of Lakeline)

• January 27 (1:10 p.m.) - magnitude 2.5 (north-northwest of Lakeline)

• Jan. 29 (1:23 p.m.) - magnitude 2.0 (west-northwest of Willowick)

• Feb. 1 (8:37 p.m.) - magnitude 1.6 earthquake (northwest of Timberlake)

• Feb. 4 (4:14 p.m.) - magnitude 2.4 earthquake (northwest of Timberlake)

What May Have Caused the Quakes?

Aftershocks of a massive earthquake that happened in 2019 may be causing earthquakes the area is now experiencing. A tremor with a magnitude of 4.0 struck southeast Michigan, northern Ohio, and parts of western Pennsylvania on June 11th, 2019.

Since 1776, there have been more than 200 earthquakes with epicenters in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The majority of those earthquakes have occurred in the same general area where there is currently seismic activity.

Despite the tremors, there have been no reports of damage or casualties. The Great Lakes have also been spared from a tsunami since the tremors have been too feeble.

There are different types of earthquakes, but they are usually caused by tectonic plate movement or changes in atmospheric pressure.

The U.S. Geological Survey is accepting "Felt Reports" from earthquake survivors in Northeast Ohio.

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