Earthquake Felt in Parts of New York State

Seismologists say another tremor struck parts of New York state over the weekend. While the magnitude of the quake was considered minor, some may wonder if this part of the U.S. could ever be struck by a major earthquake?

The recent quake follows another small tremor that struck New York earlier in December. Neither earthquake was related to April's 4.8-magnitude tremor, that shook millions across the Northeast. The spring earthquake displayed such "peculiar behavior" that experts from the Columbia Climate School say it lead to the discovery a "previously unmapped" fault line.

Small Earthquake Felt in Parts of New York State

The United States Geological Survey says that an earthquake struck near Lowville, New York late Saturday. Earthquake Track says the tremor registered as a 1.7, and was felt at a depth of around 3 miles deep. No damage was reported.

Could Something As Strong As a Magnitude 7.0 Ever Occur in NY?

Scientists have discovered recently that the fault system that runs across New York, and the parts of the Northeast, is much more complex and extensive than originally thought.

Some studies proposed that there may additional fault zones extending from the Ramapo Fault into southwestern Connecticut. There are also many smaller faults that criss-cross across New York City, meaning there could be a chance for significant earthquake one day.

There is also the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, which can produce larger quakes that can be felt up and down the eastern coast of the United States, particularly for their neighbors directly south in the Empire State. This is where the strongest quakes happen near us.