Small Earthquake Rattles Parts of New York State

What's that shaking? Scientists say a small earthquake actually struck parts of New York state early Saturday. But it does happen around here more often than you may expect.

Tremors like this can happen in the Northeast, as evidenced by a reported uptick in seismic activity over the past few years in New York State alone. A report posted at SI Live says there were 45 earthquakes recorded in just two years, as of October 2023.

The United States Geological Survey says the most recent quake struck in Rensselaer Falls. This comes only two months after a small magnitude 1.7 earthquake struck Astoria, Queens, causing reports of explosions in the area, says PIX11.

Small Quake Hits Northern New York State

According to the USGS, a small earthquake occurred just north of Rensselaer Falls in St. Lawrence County, at 3:12 AM Saturday. The quake registered as a 1.5 on the Richter Scale, which is considered very minor.

Saturday's quake hit not too far from the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, which can produce larger earthquakes that can be felt up and down the eastern coast, especially here in New York.

Back in early February, NBC had reported that parts of northern New York felt shaking, as an earthquake was reported near Huntingdon, Quebec.

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The United States Geological Survey says the quake was a 3.2 magnitude on the Richter Scale and struck at a depth of around four and a half miles. Areas near Chateaugay, Malone, Ellenburg, and other parts near Route 11 and the St. Lawrence Valley reported the ground moving, according to NBC.

According to information gathered on the Weatherboy website, there have been over 550 earthquakes in New York from 1737 through 2016.

The following video is a YouTube documentary from the channel Deep Dive, that explores why earthquakes in the Eastern United States can be dangerous.