2.2 Magnitude Quake Is 12th Since Last Week

There was yet another earthquake in Eastern Connecticut this morning and that makes 12 earthquakes since last Thursday.

On Tuesday,geophysicists from Weston Observatory at Boston College, including Justin Starr, visited the area to investigate the frequent activity and brought seismometers to detect movement in the surface of the earth.

Their goal is to find the epicenter and determine whether eastern Connecticut is experiencing an "earthquake swarm," similar to one that the Bar Harbor area of Maine experienced several years ago.

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Star said earthquakes are not abnormal from time to time in New England, and they sometimes come as "earthquake swarms," which he described as several earthquakes in fairly quick succession.

For instance, there were more than 40 earthquakes in the Bar Harbor area of Maine over several weeks in 2006 and 2007, but the activity then died down, Starr said.

"Is this on the same scale as that? Too soon to tell. It may just die down or it may capture a few more quakes, but it's no surprise to us," Starr said.

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Earthquakes, centered in Plainfield, have rattled Eastern Connecticut every day for several days and 12 times since last Thursday. 

On Friday morning, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection will hold a multi-agency briefing at the State Emergency Operations Center to discuss the state’s preparedness should earthquakes continue and begin to cause damage.

Later in the day, a public forum will be held to provide information and answer residents' questions.

A 3 point 3 magnitude quake knocked pictures off walls and left homeowners more shaken than several smaller quakes that hit the Plainfield area in the last week

The Board of Selectmen in Plainfield, along with the Plainfield Police Department and Office of Emergency Management will hold an informational session at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, January 16, at Plainfield High School Auditorium about the earthquakes.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there have been small earthquakes in New England since colonial times, with moderately damaging quakes happening every few decades and smaller earthquakes around twice per year.

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