A 5.4-magnitude earthquake occurred early Friday in the area
of the Midwest states, shocking people unaccustomed to such powerful events of
this kind.
Seismologists reported the epicenter of the temblor was in
the south of Illinois, about 66 miles from Evansville, Indiana.
The earthquake shook skyscrapers in Chicago’s Loop, which
was situated around 240 miles north of the epicenter, and several tall
buildings in Indianapolis, but there were no reports of significant injuries or
damages.
Minor damage was reported in Jefferson County, Soulard, and
Albion.
The quake was reportedly felt in Chicago, as well as in
Ohio, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky.
"It shook our house where it woke me up," said
David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign, according to the Associated
Press. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was
shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not
like California."
U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred in the
Illinois basin-Ozark dome region, which covers several states.
The organization reported on its website that earthquakes
occur irregularly in the area, with the most powerful one causing damage in the
south of Illinois in 1968.
The region borders a much more seismically active area, that
of New Madrid.
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