- Florida was rumbled by a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday night
- The earthquake was extremely rare – as the area has no major fault lines
- Florida hasn’t experienced an earthquake that large since 1879, when a 4.4 quake struck
A rare earthquake hit the coast of Florida on Wednesday, which sent rumbles across the city of Palm Bay.
The 4.0 magnitude earthquake came as a surprise to Floridians, who scarcely experience the natural phenomenon as there are no major fault lines in the area.
The strongest ever earthquake to hit Florida was on January 12, 1879, and measured in at 4.4. However, Wednesday’s quake is the largest one ever recorded off the state’s east coast, with a 3.9 magnitude earthquake in 2021 coming in second.
Striking at 10:48 pm on Wednesday night, the unusual earthquake rumbled about 101 miles off the coast of Cape Canaveral in Florida’s Brevard County.
There was likely no physical cause for this earthquake, seismologist and professor of Geology at University of South Florida Steve McNutt told DailyMail.com.
McNutt said the quake was likely a result of residual stresses on the fault – but confirmed that it was a ‘good size for the area.’
The expert suggested that Floridians take the earthquake as a ‘heads-up’. Usually, Florida residents are concerned with hurricanes – but they should be wary that other hazards, like earthquakes, can and do occur.
A magnitude 4.0 quake is described as feeling like a large truck passing, or shaking caused by a nearby explosion.
The minor earthquakes can be felt, but usually cause no damage.
Wednesday’s earthquake had a depth of just over six miles – making it a very shallow earthquake, according to USGS.
More than 40 people on the Space Coast reported feeling ‘weak’ or ‘light’ shaking during the earthquake – but nobody experienced damage.
The areas hit were Titusville and Vero Beach – including Melbourne, Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach, according to the USGS’ Community Internet Intensity Map.
‘Some remarkable stuff. That’s pretty rare that that happens around here because there’s no major fault lines nearby either,’ FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Jessica Dobson said.
The state has only seen 66 earthquakes above magnitude 3, and only one above four, which took place in 1879.
In 2006, a 5.9 Gulf of Mexico earthquake struck which sent rumbles all the way to Florida – rocking the Southwest region.
Florida is known to be one of the most geologically steady areas in the U.S.
‘We have had earthquakes in Florida — and we could have one today — but it’s not as likely as other places,’ said Doug Smith, professor of geology and longtime director of the University of Florida’s seismic network in 2000.
