Earthquake Shakes Upstate, Tremors Felt in Central New York

Did you feel it? An earthquake hit Upstate New York and the tremors could be felt over 120 miles away in Central New York.

There have been more than 550 earthquakes in New York State. The first one struck the New York City area on December 18, 1737, with a magnitude of 5.2. It's one of two damaging quakes to hit the Big Apple.

New York Earthquakes

The largest earthquake to ever hit New York State was on September 5, 1944. A 5.9 magnitude quake struck near the New York-Canadian border, causing damage in Massena and Cornwall, Ontario.

Western New York felt its strongest quake on August 12, 1929, with a magnitude of 5.2. It was centered near the town of Attica.

The Utica/Rome area has felt a few tremors over the years too. One hit Barneveld in 2015 and another struck Prospect in 2013. Both were less than a magnitude of 2. Port Leyden, on the other hand, shook with a 3.5 magnitude quake back in 1980.

Upstate New York Shakes

The largest earthquake to hit Upstate New York this year was a 3.6 magnitude quake near Adams Center, New York on April 23. The impact could be felt as far south as Utica and Syracuse and as far north as Ogdesnburg and Massena.

The most recent earthquake struck near the Canadian border. The USGS says a 2.8 magnitude earthquake hit five and a half miles north-northwest of Canton in St. Lawrence County on Monday, December 11. It wasn't strong enough to cause any damage but it did leave people wondering what that shaking was at 4:59 PM EST.

Tremors could be felt as far away as Whitesboro.

The North Country experiences anywhere from five to ten minor quakes a year.