Earthquakes in the Eastern United States

1700-2002 (Magnitude 5.0-7.4)

Although most earthquakes occur in the vicinity of plate boundaries, large and damaging earthquakes also occur deep in the interiors of plates. These earthquakes are called intraplate earthquakes. Intraplate earthquakes are common occurrences, globally as well as specifically in the eastern United States. This figure shows earthquakes that occurred in the eastern United States and adjacent Canada between 1700 and 2002.

One of the largest historically-documented earthquakes in the United States occurred not in California, but in New Madrid, Missouri, deep in the interior of the North American plate. This earthquake--actually a sequence of three major shocks in late 1811 and early 1812--is a dramatic example of the fact that large earthquakes do occur in plate interiors.

Other notable examples of major earthquakes in the eastern United States are: an earthquake off the coast of Cape Ann, MA in 1755; the Charleston, South Carolina earthquake of 1886; and an earthquake near New York City in 1884.

About IRIS | Members | Programs | USArray | Seismic Monitor | Earthquakes | SeismoArchives
Mailing Lists | Stations | Data | Software | Publications | News | Contact | Site Map | Search