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Earth Tremor Felt Locally

Wed, Aug 24, 2011

Colgate's Bruce Selleck explains why a major earthquake in the Northeast could cause major problems.

Tuesday afternoon's tremor that shook Hamilton and much of the East Coast is a reminder that a major earthquake in the region could mean a lot more than rattled wine glasses, temporary evacuations of buildings and a flurry of Facebook punchlines.

Colgate's Interim Provost, Dean of the Faculty and geology Professor Bruce Selleck said a major earthquake in the East could mean major problems. He explains:

"There is a history of earthquakes in this region, but this one was much larger than most in that area that have been recorded.  In the northeastern US, the area over which earthquakes are felt is larger than in the western US.  The earth's crust here in the east is much more rigid than the crust in the west, so earthquake waves travel farther, and lose less energy.  In the west, the numerous faults tend to dissipate earthquake energy over long distances, although of course there are more earthquakes, and more damaging larger quakes, in the west.  But an important point is made by cases like this one. If a larger magnitude earthquake were to occur in the eastern US, damage would occur over a much larger area."

There were numerous reports yesterday of an earth tremor being felt locally between 1:50 p.m. and 1:55 p.m.

HPD Chief Rick Gifford confirms it was felt at village hall. "The whole building was shaking," said Gifford.

Hamilton native and musician Chris White, now living in Brooklyn, was recording when the tremor struck there.

The U.S. Geological Survey's earthquake website reports we felt tremors from a 5.9 magnitude earthquake that occurred this afternoon in Virginia. It was centered northwest of Richmond and east of Charlottesville.

Oddly, the U.S.G.S. also reports a 2.2 magnitude quake occurred at 6:35 a.m. about 4 miles westsouthwest of Altamont, west of Albany today.

These quakes comes only hours after one that was recorded in southern Colorado overnight.

More about the quake's epicenter.

Detailed coverage from The Washington Post.

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