My sister’s text message equaled one word.
“Earthquake!”
I didn’t get too shook up about it. Laurie lives in San Diego and she sends that message whenever a sizable tremor rattles her neighborhood.
But her next message surprised me.
“A 3.0 just hit Nebraska. Did you feel it?”
While most may consider earthquakes a California phenomenon, Nebraska’s tremor testimony stretches back in time. The Nebraska Geological Survey estimates 50 quakes have rocked the state.
The first substantial earthquake felt in Nebraska occurred about a month after achieving statehood reports the U.S. Geological Survey. On April 24, 1867, a quake near Lawrence, Kansas affected much of the Cornhusker state. Since then, at least seven reports of seismic activity with an intensity V (Mercalli scale) or greater have centered within our borders. The intensity rating translates to a 4.0 or higher on the Richter scale.
On November 15, 1877, two shockwaves hit Nebraska about 45 minutes apart along the western edge of the Keweenawan mafic belt. Columbus, located northwest of the epicenter, suffered damage to courthouse and schoolhouse walls. The second wave released a surge of energy and lasted nearly 40 seconds in North Platte. Buildings swayed in Lincoln. Parts of the Dakotas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin experienced the eruption. The quake registered intensity VII and the event is considered Nebraska’s strongest earthquake.
Small, modest earthquakes struck throughout the next several decades. Near Battle Creek, an intensity V shook the bell towers of local churches and clattered dishes in many homes on July 28, 1902. During a single day in 1910, multiple rumblings shook houses in Columbus. In 1972, a 3.7 occurred near Basset. Residents of Ainsworth and Newport reported it, too.
But several strong earth rattlers have hit Nebraska. In 1934 near Chadron, a 5.5 quake caused plaster to fall from walls. Canned goods and dishes wobbled from shelves. This event was felt as far away as Sterling, Colorado.
Close to Tecumseh, two earthquakes broke windows, cracked plaster, and damaged chimneys. The jolts came four minutes apart in 1935.
In March 1964, Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming felt an awakening jolt. But six hours later, in the middle of the night, a 5.1 quake caused roadways south of Merriman to crack. The banks of the Niobrara River slid into the tranquil, flowing river. Damage rated as an intensity VII or very strong.
I’ve experienced two earthquakes, and both weren’t felt on the sandy beaches of San Diego. The first quake was centered between Center and Creighton. I taught in Wausa and a fellow teacher walked into my room and asked if felt the earthquake.
Um, no.
In fall 2002, on a Sunday afternoon, I thought a semi-truck was rounding the curve and hitting the brakes near our home in Neligh, until I noticed the ceiling fan swaying. A 4.3 quake hit northwest of O’Neill.
Even though Nebraska’s earthquakes haven’t been extremely destructive, the shake, rattle and roll are unnerving, making it difficult to imagine the earthquakes my sister has survived.
Have you experienced Nebraska shiver?
The Geological Survey tracks earthquakes in real time at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/.
