4.1-Magnitude Earthquake Rattles States Along East Coast

DOVER, DE — An earthquake hit Delaware Thursday evening with tremors rattling residents from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast. The quake occurred at 4:47 p.m. about 6 miles northeast of Dover, Delaware, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The initial report was for a 4.4-magnitude quake but the USGS has since scaled it back to 4.1.

"Several calls in Harford County reporting houses shaking but no structural damage, in the Whiteford and Abingdon area," Jenn Chenworth, spokeswoman for the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association in Maryland reported.

People also reported feeling the earthquake in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. USGS says the quake was shallow -- only 5 miles deep which helps amplify its effect. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage after the jolt.

Did you feel the earthquake? Tell us in the comments!

Earthquakes happen when there is movement below the Earth's surface on fault lines. They can occur anywhere in the U.S. and usually last less than a minute, according to FEMA.

In August 2011, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake centered in Virginia shook buildings and rattled nerves from South Carolina to Maine. Office workers fearing they were under a terrorist attack spilled into the streets in New York, and parts of the White House, Capitol and Pentagon were evacuated. There were no reports of deaths or serious injuries but the National Cathedral and Washington Monument were damaged.

Image via USGS.