Earthquakes in Connecticut Are More Common Than You’d Think

We're no strangers to natural disasters in Connecticut, we may not get hit as bad or as regularly as other areas of the country, but they happen. All the focus the past couple of days has been on this weekend's blizzard, with meteorologists gleefully shouting 'Bombogenesis' in our face. In the midst of milk-shopping mania, Connecticut had another type of natural disaster occur yesterday - there was an earthquake in Cos Cob and Greenwich.

Get our free mobile app

A 1.4 magnitude earthquake was detected at 12:38PM yesterday (Thursday, Jan 28) around 1.2 miles Northwest of Cos Cob according to nbcconnecticut.com. I don't know much about the Richter Scale, but YouTube user Mike Sammartano does, here's a video of him explaining the Richter Scale:

Here's a closer look at the Richter Scale -

Yesterday's quake in Cos Cob would fall under 'Micro" - Most people wouldn't have felt it, and there was no damage to any building. We don't even realize it, but Connecticut has endured millions of Micro quakes over the years, but what was the largest earthquake Connecticut has had? And when and where did it happen?

According to connecticuthistory.org, on May 16, 1791, the largest earthquake to shake Connecticut centered in Moodus and East Haddam. The first earthquake that day was two heavy shocks, opening up multiple fissures in the ground, and knocking down stone walls and chimneys. More than 130 aftershocks were recorded, which were felt as far away as Boston and New York City.

I've seen a couple tornados, a few hurricanes, drought, and blizzards in Waterbury, but I have never felt the effects of an earthquake.