Earthquake Shakes Livermore: Just How Common Are Quakes in Maine?

The U.S. Geological Survey says a small earthquake was recorded in central Maine on Wednesday, May 21.

According to the USGS, the magnitude 1.7 quake was centered in Livermore in Androscoggin County.

The depth of the quake was 3.6 miles.

As of noon Thursday, no damage had been reported, and just two people had reported feeling the quake to the USGS.

How common are earthquakes in Maine?

Not including Wednesday's quake, the Maine Geological Survey's website shows that 168 quakes, either centered in Maine or centered outside the state but felt in Maine, have been recorded since 1997.

The strongest earthquake on the list is the March 2005 quake that was centered northeast of Quebec City, Canada.

That one had a magnitude of 5.4 and was felt widely across Maine.

The most powerful earthquake from the same list in Maine was the quake on October 16, 2012, when a magnitude 4.5 quake centered in East Waterboro shook the state.

Most microquakes, which have a magnitude less than 2.0 and are generally too small to feel, are not included in the list of quakes recorded since 1997.

How many earthquakes does Maine get each year?

According to the Maine Emergency Management Agency, Maine experiences an average of five earthquakes each year.

MEMA says that 45 states and territories in the U.S. are at moderate to very high risk of experiencing earthquakes, and Maine is classified as a moderate risk state.

Read More: This Is the Largest Earthquake Maine Has Ever Experienced

As we know, Maine isn't an earthquake hotbed, but we do experience several per year, so Wednesday's quake isn't a surprise.

It's not even a surprise that the recent quake was centered in Livermore, as the MGS says that central Maine is among the areas in the state that experience the most earthquake activity.

Not including Wednesday's event, Livermore appears three times on that list of quakes since 1997.