Did you feel the Quake?

Did you feel the earthquake this past Sunday? According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake was a magnitude 4.2 and centered around nine miles southeast of Kalamazoo, MI.

Penn High School has their very own seismograph machine located in the flag room by door M, and the actual sensor is in PVC vault outside door M. The seismograph machine recorded the quake here at Penn High School over this past weekend.

Penn’s Earth Space Science teacher, Mark Watts, told PNN that he heard of toppled chimneys in Michigan.

“One [earthquake of this magnitude] happens every couple of years that can be felt under the right conditions,” Watts said of the trembler.

He also explained that we don’t experience earthquakes as much here because, “this part of the North American continent is made of well consolidated rock, (strong), whereas California is relatively fractured. Hence earthquakes propagate much further distances in the midwest compared to California. The ‘weak’ rock tends to dissipate the seismic energy there.”

He concluded with,”In the 1811-1812 New Madrid Missouri earthquakes, that were about 8.0, church bells in Boston swung enough to ring.”

Although this might not have been the big one, it sure was strong enough to be felt here in parts of Michiana. When the big one does come,  remember to DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON!