ALBION, ILLINOIS - An earthquake struck Eastern Illinois near the Indiana border this morning.
The quake, which measured 3.8 on the Richter Scale, was moderately small, but could be felt as far west as the Riverbend due to the composition of the Earth's crust east of the Rocky Mountains. United States Geological Survery (USGS) Geophysicist John Bellini said the crust under Illinois is much older than the western half of the continent and contains less faults, which would otherwise have helped absorb the seismic energy. Because of this, many residents of Illinois as far west as the St. Louis Metro Area took to social media to inquire about the shaking this morning around 6:47 a.m.
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When asked if the earthquake was a part of the dreaded New Madrid Fault Line, Bellini said it was far enough from it to not be connected. It was more likely connected to the Wabash River Fault Line, which runs from north to south along the eastern portion of Illinois.
Bellini also said a 3.8 magnitude earthquake - while able to be felt long distances east of the Rockies - would not cause much damage. He said it may shake some things off shelves, but would most likely not cause significant structural damages or major injuries.
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