Make that NINE seismic events yesterday in Illinois

According to the Center for Earthquake Research and Information's website, the 5.2 magnitude earthquake near Mount Carmel, Ill., yesterday was the first of a series of nine seismic events recorded there between 4:37 a.m. and 10:05 p.m.

Here's the list:

Magnitude	Time	Location
5.2	04:37	6 mi. NW of Mount Carmel, IL
2.6	04:59	3 mi. NNW of Mount Carmel, IL
2.5	05:03	4 mi. NW of Mount Carmel, IL
2.5	05:15	3 mi. S of Noble, IL
3.4	05:36	6 mi. NNE of Bellmont, IL
2.2	05:46	4 mi. NNE of Bellmont, IL
2.6	06:55	6 mi. NW of Mount Carmel, IL
4.6	10:14	8 mi. E of West Salem, IL
2.7	22:05	5 mi. NNW of Mount Carmel, IL

 

The U.S. Geological Survey ranks the ones in the 3 and above range as "significant events" and those are the ones that are noticeable to the average person. The smaller events are called "micro-earthquakes."

As of this posting, the USGS has received 36,863 reports from throughout the central United States about the 5.2 event, 6.337 reports concerning the 4.6 event and 817 reports about the 3.4 magnitude event.

Event 2008qza6

The U.S. Geological Survey has some interesting data on this morning's magnitude 5.2 earthquake in southeastern Illinois.
Thus far, their website has received 32,853 reports from all over the central United States concerning what the USGS is calling Event 2008qza6. The reports include 5 from Jonesboro, Ark., and 11 from Paragould, Ark. Our place lies between those two cities.
Here's a map showing the intensity by Zip code for the area from which reports were received. If you want to read more or add your report, here's the link to the USGS site: http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/shake/cus/index.html

Six aftershocks - so far

That mid-morning jolt was actually the sixth aftershock from the 4:37 a.m. magnitude 5.2 earthquake, according to reports from seismologists.

Here's the magnitude, time and epicenter location of this morning's earthquake activity in southeastern Illinois:
4.6 10:14:16 - 8 mi E of West Salem, IL
2.6 06:55:57 - 6 mi NW of Mount Carmel, IL
2.2 05:46:24 - 4 mi NNE of Bellmont, IL
2.4 05:36:33 - 6 mi NNE of Bellmont, IL
2.5 05:15:35 - 3 mi S of Noble, IL
2.5 05:03:59 - 4 mi NW of Mount Carmel, IL
5.2 04:37:00 - 6 mi NW of Mount Carmel, IL

The ones in the magnitude 2 range are called micro-earthquakes and usually go unnoticed by most people.
BTW, the Associated Press is behind the curve here. They're reporting only four aftershocks, concluding with the 4.6 temblor at 10:14 a.m.
Hah!

Aftershock

The U.S. Geological Service reports a second quake - 4.1 on the Richter Scale - at 10:14 a.m. today a couple of miles from the epicenter of the pre-dawn jolt.
I thought I felt something about that time, but I dismissed it as being my imagination. Obviously, it was no big deal here.
Maybe it's a good thing to live on Crowley's Ridge when the faults slip.
Here's the website I use to keep tabs on seismic activity around here: http://folkworm.ceri.memphis.edu/recenteqs/
Oh, by the way, this is the 102nd anniversary of the 1906 earthquake that flattened San Francisco. Really. To the day.

We slept through it

You'd think we would notice a magnitude 5.2 earthquake with an epicenter only 150 miles to our northeast.
But nope, we slept right through it.
I think most people who were awake around here at 4:36:59 a.m. CDT felt it, put it passed unnoticed at our house.
No cracks in tile or pavement, nothing falling off of shelves, nothing noticeable at all.