3.9 Earthquake In York Harbor, Maine, Felt In Concord, Southern NH

CONCORD, NH — An earthquake off the coast of Maine was felt all around central and southern New Hampshire on Monday morning.

The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that around 10:23 a.m., a 4.1 magnitude earthquake occurred about 11 kilometers southeast of York Harbor, Maine. According to the USGS, the quake was about 13.2 kilometers down.

Buildings shook in Concord and the capital region for about 10 to 15 seconds. Posters on the Concord NH Patch Facebook feed reported feeling the earthquake in Bedford, Franklin, Gilmanton, Windham, the North Shore, Newton, and Shirley, Massachusetts.

Originally, the quake was reported as a 4.1, one of the most powerful earthquakes in the region for many years. However, around 10:30 a.m., it was downgraded slightly. Its depth was also shifted from 20.1 kilometers to 13.2.

According to posts on Patch, this is the largest earthquake to hit the region in more than a decade, when a 4.6 magnitude earthquake in Lake Arrowhead, Maine, in 2012, was felt throughout the state. A 4.7 quake out of Laconia in 1982 was the largest earthquake in New England in recent decades.

Most of the earthquakes in New Hampshire or Northern New England tend to be under a magnitude of 3. Thirteen months ago, a 2.7 was reported along the Soucook River on the Concord-Pembroke border, and another was reported a few days later in Concord near Bow Bog Road. A 2 magnitude was reported a year ago in Loudon. Around a year and a half ago, a 2.2 was reported in Andover. Earthquakes have also been reported in Canterbury, East Kingston, off the coast of Hampton Beach, Hopkinton, Nashua, Plymouth, Salem, Sanbornton, and Warner during the past 14 years.

State emergency officials said there had been no official reports of damages or injuries as of 10:45 a.m. on Monday. They said the earthquake was a good reminder for residents and visitors to be prepared for all hazards.

“Include all hazards when you are creating a family emergency plan,” Robert Buxton, the director of the New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said. “You should also hold regular drills to practice what to do during an earthquake. It’s the best way to keep you and your family safe.”

During an earthquake, if you are inside, you should drop, cover, and hold on, officials said. If you are outside, you should move away from buildings and other items that can topple over.

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