January 17, 2000 Earthquake in Western Maine

Weston Observatory reports that an earthquake occurred at 3:16:20 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Monday, January 17, 2000, in the Rumford area, Maine. It was felt in Oxford and Franklin Counties.

The following parameters have been calculated for the earthquake:

Magnitude	3.4 (calculation after Nuttli, 1973)
Location	44.57 North latitude, 70.44 West longitude
Depth	16.3 kilometers
This places the epicenter about 6 miles (10 kilometers) east of Rumford, in Dixfield, Maine.

Further Information:

A press release from the Reuters news service reported the earthquake, citing information sources at the U.S. Geological Survey.

The event is recorded on the Canadian Seismic Network Hourly plot for 08:00 (UT) on January 17, 2000. (How to read this plot)

A map showing this event was posted as a "News Flash" on the New England Seismic Network web site of MIT. The preliminary location was given as 3 miles north of Dixfield, close to the final location calculated by Weston Observatory.

Published News Reports:

News report:

"Once again, state shakes, rattles" by Kathryn Skelton, Lewiston Sun Journal, January 18, 2000.

News report available through Bangor Daily News archive search:

"Recent quakes seen as typical" by Rich Hewitt, Bangor Daily News, February 1, 2000.

Reference:

Nuttli, Otto W., 1973: "The Mississippi Valley Earthquakes of 1811 and 1812; Intensities, Ground Motion, and Magnitudes," Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, v. 63, No.1, p. 227-248.

Last updated on October 6, 2005