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4.8-magnitude earthquake in Yellowstone Park on March 30

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March 30, 2014

A 4.8-magnitude earthquake lightly shook Yellowstone National Park earlier today (March 30). Eric Klemetti of Wired’s Eruptions blog said on Twitter:

Looks like it occurred north, outside the modern caldera boundary. Remember, the Yellowstone area is riddled with faults.

The U.S. Geological Survey gives details of the quake as follows:

Event Time
2014-03-30 12:34:39 UTC
2014-03-30 06:34:39 UTC-06:00 at epicenter

Location
44.778°N 110.683°W

Depth=6.8km (4.2mi)

Nearby Cities
37km (23mi) ENE of West Yellowstone, Montana
105km (65mi) SSE of Bozeman, Montana
138km (86mi) NE of Rexburg, Idaho
178km (111mi) NE of Ammon, Idaho
228km (142mi) SSE of Helena, Montana

From 2011: Underground plume of Yellowstone supervolcano bigger than thought

The biggest Yellowstone earthquake in recent times occurred on August 17, 1959. It was a 7.3-magnitude quake that caused over 28 fatalities and left $11 million in damage to highways and timber. The slide blocked the flow of the Madison River resulting in the creation of Quake Lake. Effects of the earthquake were also felt in Idaho and Wyoming.

The 1959 quake was the strongest and deadliest earthquake to hit Montana since the 1935-36 Helena earthquakes left 4 people dead.

The landscape of Yellowstone National Park is a manifestation of a hotspot below the crust of the Earth. It is riddled with fault lines, hot springs and geysers, making it among the most popular tourist attractions in the U.S. Image via Wikipedia. — The landscape of Yellowstone National Park is a manifestation of a hotspot below the crust of the Earth. Its hot springs and geysers make it among the most popular tourist attractions in the U.S. It is also riddled with fault lines, and earthquakes do occur. Image via Wikipedia.

Yellowstone National Park is riddled with faults, and thus earthquakes are common there. Image via USGS

Bottom line: A 4.8-magnitude earthquake shook Yellowstone National Park on Sunday, March 30, 2014.

Read about the earthquake history of Wyoming from USGS

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March 30, 2014

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Earth

Deborah Byrd

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About the Author:

Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.