US Shakes and Rumbles: M4.2 Earthquake and Aftershocks Damage Kansas – M5.4 Earthquake Hits Off Oregon – M4.2 tremor in Montana

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A M4.2 earthquake hit south-central Kansas on Friday causing damage in the Hutchinson area.

The temblor occurred about three miles west-southwest of South Hutchinson at 7:59 a.m at a depth of 3.1 miles and was followed by three smaller quakes, the largest being a M3.1. 

A M4.2 earthquake hit Kansas on August 16 2019, A M4.2 earthquake hit Kansas on August 16 2019 map
A M4.2 earthquake hit Kansas on August 16, 2019. Map via USGS

There were no immediate reports of injuries, but Hutchinson Public Schools and others reported on social media that there was some minor damage.

The district said some of the damage included loosened ceiling tiles, cracks in a couple of walls and a door that wouldn’t close.

So far no reports of injuries have been made.

Around 1000 people have reported feeling the quake on the USGS website.

Here some reports:

My wife is reporting damage on Hutch main street. She ran outside afraid the building would collapse…this was HUGE.”

Window fell out on main Street in hutch.”

“Caused damage to Dillions on 5th in Hutchinson.”

About 3 hours later, a M5.4 earthquake hit right on the Juan de Fuca Plate off Oregon at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km). No tsunami warning.

M5.4 earthquake hit off Oegon coast on August 16 2019, M5.4 earthquake hit off Oegon coast on August 16 2019 map
A M5.4 earthquake hit off Oegon coast on August 16 2019. Map via USGS

Less than a week ago I was writing that the Cascadia subduction zone is a giant fault off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, where the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate plunges under the North American plate, building strain throughout the region and prompting fears of ‘The Big One’ when it explodes.

And right below central Oregon, it appears that a chunk of the Juan de Fuca plate is missing. And we certainly would like to know how it may affect the surface or even if it may help building the overdue Cascadia Earthquake.

In a new geological study of the region, geoscientists have suggested that the missing piece is not just a hole, but a giant crack that is splitting the plate apart at least 93 miles beneath the surface. In other words, the Juan de Fuca plate is dying under central Oregon. There’s maybe a link there?

In any cases, today, the US is shaking and rumbling with another significant quake for Montana in Manhattan, again, after the 5th of August.

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4 Comments

  1. Not just mines but the largest natural gas storage facility,
    It’s all good though…
    Those salt caverns are safe and secure. ?

  2. The earthquake in Hutchinson Kansas was felt into Nebraska. Before the quake there was a loud boom that sounded like a bomb had went off. Scary, aa there are many underground mines in Hutchinson.

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