Earthquake Detected In Maine Town Monday Night

Monday night an earthquake was detected in the Downeast town of Deblois. It was a wee earthquake with a magnitude of 1.8 that occurred around 5:30 PM. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 4.3 miles southwest of Deblois and was sensed to be about 3 miles underground.

This magnitude is considered a microquake since its magnitude is less than 2.0.

Maine's earthquakes

Maine isn’t a stranger to smaller earthquakes of the scale. The last earthquake Maine had was on February 12th in the Aroostook County town of Smyrna which was a magnitude 2.4 earthquake and only felt locally.

Maine experiences many small earthquakes throughout the year but rarely sees big earthquakes. According to Maine.gov, average earthquake activity in a given century for Maine will typically see "five earthquakes of magnitude 4.6 or larger, two earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or larger, and one earthquake of magnitude 5.5 or larger".

maine.gov

The biggest earthquake in Maine's records

The largest earthquake Maine has ever recorded was documented in 1904 with an epicenter in the Eastport area. While a magnitude could not be registered at that time in history it is recorded as having an intensity of VII- the highest intensity and only VII rated earthquake in Maine's records.

'The big one' could be thousands of years in the future for Maine

So, a 1.8 magnitude earthquake is just another one of Maine's little earthquakes and nothing to get too worried about. Predictions for a 4.6 sized earthquake are expected in the next twenty years or so while a seismic 7.0 magnitude earthquake is expected in the next 2700ish years, give or take 350 years. I think Maine is safe for now.

Here's Every Maine Earthquake That Has Happened This Year

It's a common occurrence to experience small earthquakes here in Maine. Most, thankfully, are pretty small, making the ground that we walk on shimmer as much as a fully loaded pulp truck driving by the house, if that.

So far during the year 2021, there have been 21 earthquakes of significance to occur here in Maine. Here is our list.

The General Stores Of Downeast Maine

These are the long-time general stores that are spread throughout downeast Maine. The stores that your grandparents picked up milk, beer, and that night's dinner at. For years they had been filled with things like fly paper, clothes, beef jerky, and that morning's newspaper. Now, you stop by for that slice of breakfast pizza, a tasty fried chicken sandwich for lunch, gas,and a handful of lottery tickets.

They're an important part of Maine's heritage, and their numbers are starting to dwindle. But we still frequent them to pick up the day's necessities and to keep up on town gossip.

They may not be owned by the original owners, and they may not look the same as they did years and years ago. But that same hometown feeling is there, the minute you set foot on their wooden floors. More than likely the same wooden floors that your grandparents set foot on.

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Earthquake Detected In Downeast Maine Town Monday Night