Residents probably didn’t feel it but a minor earthquake shook parts of Berks County early Friday morning.
According to a report from the National Earthquake Information Center U.S. Geological Survey, a 1.6 magnitude earthquake registered near Leesport around 2 a.m.
A 1.6 quake is usually not felt, but can be recorded by seismograph. An 8 or greater earthquake is the most destructive. Earthquakes in Pennsylvania are not that common.
Pennsylvania’s worst earthquake was in 1998 in the northwestern part of the state. The 5.2-magnitude earthquake caused minor structural damage but had significant effects on the local groundwater system.
Many of us remember the 5.8-magnitude central Virginia earthquake in 2011 that was widely felt in Pennsylvania, though damages here were minor. It was the largest recorded quake in the central and eastern United States since 1944. Smaller earthquakes with epicenters in adjoining states have also been felt in Pennsylvania.
If you believe you have felt an earthquake, you can report your experience on the U.S. Geological Survey website: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/data/dyfi/
