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Sioux Falls, SD (kilo) – Residents of South Dakota have experienced ground shaking from five different earthquakes since the beginning of 2021, according to the USGS.
On Wednesday, the fifth earthquake of the year was recorded, 15 kilometers northeast of Queen. This was reported to be a magnitude 2.6 earthquake.
Second earthquake recorded in South Dakota this month
The reason for the earthquakes in South Dakota is that years ago, during the Ice Age, a large glacier covered our land, said Scott Mundt, a meteorologist at Keelande.
“Well, that put a lot of weight on the ground and pressure on the ground,” Mundt said. “That glacier no longer exists, so the land is now free to expand and that’s the main reason earthquakes happen here in South Dakota.”
Mondt said South Dakota typically experiences two earthquakes every three years, on average.
“It’s a little above average right now, who’s going to say we won’t get another one this year, who’s going to say we won’t see someone else maybe in the next couple of years,” he said.
USGS records earthquake north of Nebraska/South Dakota border
The first reported earthquake this year was a 3.1-magnitude earthquake 5 kilometers north of Tyndale on January 4.
USGS announces 3.1 earthquake near Tyndale Monday morning
There was another missile reported 10 kilometers east of Edgemont on March 26, which registered 3.4 degrees.
USGS records 3.4 earthquake near Edgemont
On the South Dakota-Nebraska border, a third earthquake was recorded, 10 kilometers northeast of Anoka, Nebraska, with a magnitude of 3.7 on June 4. On the same day, the fourth day of the year was reported, 9 km from east to northeast. From the same city, Nebraska, it measured 3.1.
When the earth shakes, we may feel it, even in South Dakota
In 2020, only two earthquakes were recorded: a magnitude 3.2 earthquake 10 km northwest of Bodel on 9 December and 2.5 on August 25 10 km north of Platte.
Mundt said the South Dakota earthquake’s magnitudes aren’t very high.
“The amounts we get here in South Dakota are really not that high,” he said. “A lot of it has been described as maybe the dishes are jagged in the cupboard or the pictures might move a little on the wall or even the windows vibrate, like the windows might vibrate during a thunderstorm or when we have thunderclap, if you’re close enough to that lightning strike you can To see the windows shake a little bit.”
He said that if you experience an earthquake during the winter months, you have a better chance of feeling the earthquake far from where it actually happened, because it’s easier for the shock to travel through the cold layers of the ground or air at that time. compared to the summer months.
The US Geological Survey says the first recorded earthquake in South Dakota was in 1872. Since then, there have been nearly 100 documented earthquakes in the state. Most people affected by these earthquakes experience low rumbles in their homes, but no damage.
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey has an interactive map showing earthquakes dating back to 1906. It shows their location, strength, and the date they were recorded.
The largest recorded earthquake in South Dakota was reported on June 2, 1911, south of Huron. It was a 4.5-magnitude earthquake.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that after an earthquake, you may experience aftershocks, which are smaller earthquakes that follow a larger one. These aftershocks can occur minutes, days, weeks, or even months after the first earthquake.
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