Second Big Aftershock

A second large aftershock to Friday mornings 5.2 magnitude quake, rocked the area early Monday morning. The early morning quake was a magnitude 4.0. I didn't feel the quake, but it was felt in Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Louisville. Obviously, no damage occurred from such a small quake, but it is still fascinating that we continue to talk about earthquakes in Indiana. The news media coverage is waning on this topic though. The morning news programs spent less than 20 seconds reporting on the overnight event.

Large Aftershock Felt

An aftershock to the 5:38am earthquake was felt here in Indiana. At 11:15am, a magnitude 4.5 aftershock rolled through the area. The aftershock provided a different "feel" when compared to the main earthquake. I was sitting at my desk working when I began to notice my LCD montior screen rocking back and forth, then I felt the wave type motion rolling across the floor beneath me. It felt as though I was on a boat and the boat was rocking very slightly. Again, it was an exciting moment considering earthquakes are extremely rare here. The kids that were in my classroom at the time felt it too. An interesting affect of the quake was the dizzy feeling I had for just a moment during the quake. I didn't mention this to anyone, but one of the kids mentioned that it made them dizzy too. It appears that our bodies are very sensitive to ground movement.

Earthquake Strikes Indiana

I haven't felt one in many years, but this morning I was woken up by a magnitude 5.4 earthquake. At 5:38am I opened my eyes and immediately began to hear the house rumbling and popping. At first, I thought that a wind storm was occurring, but quickly came to the conclusion that it was an earthquake. It lasted for about 30 seconds. After the quake, I jumped out of bed and looked to see if the powerlines were swinging, but they were not. I haven't noticed any damage here at home, but there has been some minor damage reported in Louisville, Kentucky where a building facade fell into the street.

Here is an Associated Press report about the quake.

5.4 earthquake rocks Illinois; felt 350 miles away
WEST SALEM, Ill. (AP) — A 5.4 earthquake that appeared to rival the strongest recorded in the region rocked people awake as far away as Milwaukee early Friday, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor.
The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered 6 miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. It awakened people in neighboring Indiana and even Milwaukee, Wis., 350 miles north of the epicenter.
"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."
The quake also shook tall buildings in downtown Indianapolis, about 160 miles northeast of the epicenter.
Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle in Evansville said there were no immediate reports of damage.
The quake occurred in the Illinois basin-Ozark dome region that covers parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas and stretches from Indianapolis and St. Louis to Memphis, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The organization's Web site said earthquakes occur irregularly in the area, and that the largest historical earthquake in the region — also a magnitude 5.4 — caused damage in southern Illinois in 1968.


Here are some reports I've found from the area:

6:55 KY Department of Transportation tells WFIE in Evansville the bridges are OK. It will take a 5.9 or larger quake to cause damage to the bridges.
6:52 All coal mines in SW Indiana have been evacuated....Mt. Carmel, IN: trailer off foundation
6:50 the quake was felt in middle Tennessee
6:45 Possible sinkhole in downtown Evansville.... minor damage in New Harmony, IN west of

Evansville....minor damage in Graysville, IN