Earthquake shook Aroostook town
A magnitude 2. 3 earthquake rattled the Bridgewater area in Aroostook County Monday evening. Seismic monitoring recorded the temblor at 6: 55 p. m. ET about 3. 1 miles northwest of the town, at a depth of roughly 3. 1 miles. Residents across a wide area felt the shaking, with dozens of "felt" reports submitted from communities as far south as Littleton and north toward Colby and Woodland.
Tremor specifics and where it was felt
The small but noticeable quake registered magnitude 2. 3 and originated several miles beneath the surface. While quakes of this size rarely cause structural damage, the shaking was strong enough that about 90 people documented feeling it, with some reports coming from roughly 20 miles to the south and about 33 miles to the north of the epicenter. The brief event produced the typical light rattling and momentary jolt noted in similar low‑magnitude events across the region.
Patterns, history and what drives quakes in the state
State seismic records show more than 170 recorded earthquakes since 1997, and small temblors happen intermittently across the region. Stronger events in recent decades include a magnitude 4. 5 quake that shook southern communities in October 2012 and several larger historical events felt from as far away as Quebec and northern New York. The largest historic event cataloged in state records occurred in the early 20th century and was assigned a high intensity on the Modified Mercalli scale.
Seismic activity in the state tends to cluster in a few zones, notably near coastal bays and in parts of central and southwestern regions, though quakes have been felt as far north as the St. John Valley. Clusters of several small quakes have occurred periodically: one series off a southern harbor earlier this year produced multiple shocks ranging from about magnitude 2. 0 to 3. 8 over several days, and other multi‑event swarms have been recorded near inland towns and island areas in past years.
Geologists explain that these events reflect modern stresses being released along zones of weakness in the earth's crust. Most of the state's tremors are small and go unfelt, but when a cluster or a larger quake occurs it highlights these persistent but sporadic stress adjustments beneath the region.
What residents should know and do
For most households, a magnitude 2. 3 event is a reminder rather than a cause for alarm: such quakes typically do not produce damage. Still, officials urge basic earthquake preparedness—identify safe spots in each room, secure heavy furniture and items that could fall, and know to Drop, Cover and Hold On during shaking. After a tremor, check for hazards like gas leaks, water line breaks or fallen objects and avoid using open flames until utilities are confirmed safe.
Residents who feel shaking are encouraged to document their observations through local reporting channels used by seismic monitoring services; those community reports help scientists better map where and how strongly quakes are felt. As with prior small events, many will pass without further activity, but clusters can sometimes continue for days to weeks, so staying aware of community alerts and basic safety practices is sensible.
The evening tremor in the Aroostook County area is the latest example of the state's ongoing low‑level seismicity — a quiet reminder that the crust beneath the region remains active, even when activity is subtle.
