Weekend Earthquake Felt in North Central Connecticut

NEWINGTON, CT — A minor earthquake was felt in several areas of north central Connectut on Sunday.

According to the United States Geological Survey, a 1.9 magnitude earthquake was felt in places like Newington, Berlin, New Britain and Hartford on Sunday.

Officially, the earthquake took place 8.6 miles south-southwest of Hartford and happened at about 1:40 a.m.

According to the USGS, New England residents, and the geological extension southward through Long Island, have felt small earthquakes and suffered damage from infrequent larger ones since colonial times.

"Moderately damaging" earthquakes strike somewhere in the region every few decades, and smaller earthquakes are felt roughly twice a year, according top the USGS.

The Boston area was damaged three times within 28 years in the middle 1700s, and New York City was damaged in 1737 and 1884, according to the agency.

The largest known New England earthquakes occurred in 1638 (magnitude 6.5) in Vermont and New Hampshire, and in 1755 (magnitude 5.8) offshore from Cape Ann northeast of Boston. The Cape Ann earthquake caused severe damage to the Boston waterfront, the USGS stated.

The most recent New England earthquake to cause moderate damage occurred in 1940 (magnitude 5.6) in central New Hampshire. according to the USGS.

A magnitude 5.5 eastern U.S. earthquake usually can be felt as far as 300 miles from where it occurred, and sometimes causes damage as far away as 25 miles, the USGS said.

Graphic Credit: USGS