Did You Feel the 2.9 Magnitude Lake Michigan Earthquake?

California isn’t the only place in America where earthquakes occur. The Great Lakes region occasionally feels seismic activity too, and one occurred this week.

Earthquakes in Michigan and the Great Lakes Region

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Michigan doesn’t experience the powerful earthquakes seen in places like California or the destructive quakes recently reported in Chile and Argentina, but smaller tremors do occasionally occur.

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Many earthquakes felt in Michigan actually originate in nearby states. While earthquakes do occur in the Great Lakes region, they are uncommon, typically minor, and rarely cause damage.

Read More: Lake Erie Perch Decline Threatens Michigan Fish Dinners

Earthquakes in the Great Lakes region occur only a few times per decade or even less frequently. Most are small tremors, typically registering below magnitude 3.5, like the recent magnitude 2.9 quake.

Did You Notice the Lake Michigan Earthquake?

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According to ABC7 Chicago, a magnitude 2.9 earthquake struck Lake Michigan on Wednesday at approximately 2:38 p.m. The tremors were detected about 30 miles north of Chicago, roughly 12 miles offshore, with the quake occurring 3.1 miles beneath the lake’s surface.

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Officials with the United States Geological Survey are asking residents if they felt the earthquake. Anyone who felt the tremors can submit a report through an online form to help officials gather information about the event.

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Although Chicago is geographically close to West Michigan, it is highly unlikely that a 2.9-magnitude earthquake centered in Lake Michigan would produce tremors strong enough to be felt across the lake in West Michigan.

👇BELOW: Biggest Earthquakes in Michigan History👇