Offshore Earthquake Shakes Southern Maine, Rhode Island and Other Parts of New England

A map of user-reported earthquake encounters throughout New England on Jan. 27, 2025.
A map of user-reported earthquake encounters throughout New England on Jan. 27, 2025.
USGS.gov
Share
A map of user-reported earthquake encounters throughout New England on Jan. 27, 2025.
A map of user-reported earthquake encounters throughout New England on Jan. 27, 2025.
USGS.gov
Offshore Earthquake Shakes Southern Maine, Rhode Island and Other Parts of New England
Copy

Much of southern Maine was shaken by an earthquake that struck off York Harbor at 10:22 a.m. Monday.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake, which had a magnitude of 3.8, was centered beneath the surface of the ocean 10 miles southeast of York Harbor.

That placed York’s town hall close enough to receive a good shaking.

“We wondered if there was an explosion nearby,” said Nicole Pestana, York’s emergency management director.

She said there was concern about the many old windows in the town hall, but no damage was observed. Pestana said that as of late Monday morning, there were no other reports of major damage from the quake.

The Geological Survey says the quake was felt as far north as Augusta, west across much of New Hampshire and into eastern Vermont and as far south as Providence, Rhode Island, and the northeast corner of Connecticut.

This story was originally published by Maine Public. It was shared as part of the New England News Collaborative.

New England will face a West Coast challenger for the Feb. 8 championship
Higher taxes on Rhode Island’s richest are increasingly likely, although not without a lot of debate
The National Weather Service warns of dangerous wind chills and up to 15 inches of snow across southern New England
Starting Feb. 1, TSA will require travelers without compliant forms of identification to verify their identity through a biometric or biographic system
About 6.5% of postcard recipients file claims, court records show
Program chair Amy VanderWeele explains why this year’s pick—Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez—resonates with Rhode Islanders, from land rights to who gets to tell history