Minor Earthquake Rumbles Across Cape Cod

I was at the computer in my lavish executive office at home, a.k.a. the kitchen peninsula, when I heard what sounded like a large dump truck rolling down the thoroughfare nearby.    Then the floor shook.   And stuff rattled in the breezeway.   It was over in five seconds and I knew that was no dump truck.

Courtesy: USGS

I went to the bottom of the stairs and called my son's name.   "Christian?" I said, wondering if my 27 year old had felt it on the second floor".  "Earthquake!" he replied with laughter.   

I jumped onto twitter.  

I learned I wasn't losing it.  

New England media first reported the earthquake, centered at the mouth of Buzzard's Bay in southern Massachusetts, measured 4.6 on the richter scale.   Later it was revised to 4.2, and finally to 3.6, the final word from the U.S. Geological Survey.  

According to the USGS website, New England has had scores of minor earthquakes through the decades.  Sunday's event was the second strongest recorded, bested only by a 3.7 temblor in 1994.   

I have felt three small earthquakes in my lifetime, one in Syracuse and another on the Cape, both more than ten years ago.   There were no reports of significant damage in any of them. 

But it adds to the repertoire of natural events we weather on the Cape, along with blizzards, tornadoes and the occasional hurricane.   Cape Cod is no day at the beach.   Or actually, it pretty much is.