Central Maine shaken by earthquake Sunday afternoon

While you were enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon with your family, did you feel a slight vibration under your feet?

If you scrolled through your Facebook page shortly after the incident, your timeline was likely filled with other people from the Augusta area reporting feeling a similar rumbling sound.

Was it really an earthquake or was something else going on?

No, you’re not imagining it, there really was a small earthquake in central Maine.

According to the United States Geological Survey, a magnitude 2.8 earthquake struck Central Maine at approximately 2:50 p.m. Sunday. USGS scientists said the epicenter of the quake was about four miles west of Gardiner, Maine.

According to an article on the WCSH 6 website, no injuries or damage were reported as a result of the earthquake. The article explains that an earthquake must normally have a magnitude of at least 4 on the Richter scale to cause damage.

Normally, we don’t think of Maine as an area with a lot of tectonic activity. You might be surprised to learn that there have been dozens of smaller earthquakes in Maine in the past few decades.

Since the mid-1700s, more than 450 earthquakes have been recorded in Maine.

What was the largest earthquake ever recorded in Maine?

The largest earthquake recorded in Maine occurred in Downeast Maine in 1904. Its magnitude was nearly 6.0 on the Richter scale.

You can read more about this incident HERE.

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