BOSTON - An earthquake felt across Boston and surrounding areas was centered off York Harbor, Maine, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake, which struck at precisely 10:22 AM on January 27, 2025, registered a magnitude of 3.8, down from initial reports estimating it at 4.1 and later revised to 3.9.
The depth of the earthquake was measured at more than eight miles underground, with no tsunami threat reported for New England, as confirmed by the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center. 'We don't sit on any active fault lines,' stated WBZ-TV executive weather producer Terry Eliasen. 'But again for our area [it] is really significant.'
Shaking was felt for several seconds throughout the region, including the WBZ-TV newsroom. David Wade, the station's anchor, shared his experience, saying, 'My house shook pretty good. It went on for what felt like a good five or 10 seconds.' Meanwhile, Anna Fletcher from Milton, working from her home office, reported, 'It shook probably four to five seconds pretty significantly.'
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) acknowledged receiving reports of shaking but confirmed no immediate indications of damage. The agency reminded residents, 'Remember, during an earthquake: drop, cover and hold on for safety.'
According to John Ebel, senior scientist at the Weston Observatory at Boston College, aftershocks could be expected, particularly if they reach magnitudes of 2.8 to 3.1, with potential to be felt along the North Shore of Massachusetts and southern coastal Maine.
During the quake, emergency services responded swiftly. Audio from police and fire scanners released from York County captured the confusion following the tremor. 'We're not sure what's going on. We're getting calls from all over town about an explosion,' one dispatcher noted. Another added, 'We had a very large shake here at the station as well.'
Residents across York described their fright following the incident. Cindy McKenna recounted, 'I was standing right here, and it was 'boom,' and then instantly, all at once, the whole house was shaking. And I looked up and the lights were swinging. I picked up and called 911, then I just ran outside.'
Gene Raymond, who was vacuuming during the quake, remarked, 'All of the sudden, it sounded like a truck or an airplane engine or something, and the house shook.' Dawn Milbury reported several items falling off her shelf, stating, 'We literally thought something exploded.'
Meanwhile, at an OB/GYN office in Portland, Maine, Nancy Begert and her colleagues experienced the event with confusion, saying, 'We all kind of looked at each other, like, what's happening? And then when it was done, we said, 'I think this was an earthquake.' One of the girls in another room had something fall off the desk, but no damage.'
The Maine Emergency Management Agency advised residents not to call 911 for non-emergencies but emphasized the importance of checking for damages to homes after an earthquake. 'That's the standard thing you should do after an earthquake,' said Nicole Pastana, Emergency Management Director. 'Check your house, make sure nothing cracked. If you have some form of flammable heating source, check to make sure nothing was damaged.'
Seismically, New England isn’t known for frequent significant earthquakes, making this event notable. Experts like Ebel explained, 'Earthquakes of this kind can serve as reminders of the geological dynamics at play, even if they aren’t common.' Indeed, for many residents exercising their newfound awareness, this tremor may have offered some unsettling clarity about living geographically away from familiar fault lines.
The incident serves as both a reminder and a perplexity for New Englanders, pushing many to ponder how one might react during such unforeseen natural events. 'Your mind goes to anything but an earthquake when you live in New England,' noted Fletcher, encapsulating the general sentiment.