Earthquake Confirmed!

Early Friday morning, residents of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin reported feeling a tremor. The event has since been confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as an earthquake. The quake occurred in Lake Michigan at exactly 9:18 a.m., the epicenter being 24.2 miles east-southeast of Sturgeon Bay and almost 7 miles beneath the lake.

Data from the USGS

The USGS reported that the earthquake was a 2.9 on the Richter scale and IV on the Community Decimal Intensity Scale (CDI). According to guidelines laid down by Michigan Tech, an earthquake registering between 2.5 and 5.9 on the Richter scale is usually felt but seldom causes significant damage. Every year, about half a million such incidents occur globally.

The CDI, on the other hand, is a system that measures the impact of an earthquake over the surrounding area. The USGS has reported that although some people might have noticed the shaking, the tremor would not have been strong enough to cause any infrastructure damage.

Reactions from the community

This tremor has been regarded as significant enough to leave people talking, wondering, “Did You Feel It?“. As of 12 p.m. on the same day, 17 residents of Sturgeon Bay reported to the USGS that they had indeed felt the quake. It was also confirmed by five other people within a 60-mile radius of the epicenter.

Minor Shakeup in the morning routine

Local residents who usually spend their mornings jogging along the shore or fishing might have noticed a little more than just the natural beauty of Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula. Considering the proximity of the earthquake, it most likely would’ve felt like walking or driving over rail tracks or a minor judder of a large vehicle passing nearby.

A look ahead

Thankfully, there have been no reports of property damage or injuries associated with this incident. However, it serves as a timely reminder for the residents and the local authorities of Sturgeon Bay about the importance of staying vigilant and prepared for natural disasters of any size, even in these normally serene Great Lakes.

Keepign the community safe

The community is now focusing on awareness and preparedness for future incidents, and Government agencies are diligently working to ensure proper procedures are in place.