Yellowstone National Park was struck by a small earthquake, and some locals felt a vibration. The Norris Geyser Basin, which has a history of earthquakes, was the site of the magnitude 3.9 earthquake.
A minor earthquake has hit Yellowstone National Park, shaking the hottest and oldest geothermal area in the region.
In Wyoming, the Norris Geyser Basin was struck by a magnitude 3.9 earthquake on Tuesday, January 28, at 6 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (8 p.m. EST). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) posted on Facebook that the earthquake was felt by a few people in the Yellowstone region and that it was “typical of the Yellowstone region and not a sign of any significant unrest.”
The magnitude scale is used by scientists to rate the magnitude of earthquakes. Minor earthquakes that are perceptible to humans are those having a magnitude of about 4. According to USGS, the Yellowstone earthquake was typical for the area. See also: Researchers uncover a secret process that may explain how earthquakes “ignite”
Due to its seismic activity, Yellowstone sees between 1,500 and 2,000 earthquakes annually. Some of these earthquakes, like the one that occurred in Norris Geyser Basin on Tuesday, are stronger than magnitude 2, but the majority are only up to that. According to the National Park Service, the tallest geyser in the world, which shoots hot water and steam 300 to 400 feet (90 to 120 meters) into the air, is located in the Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone’s oldest and hottest geothermal area. The basin is situated where two faults—fractures between two blocks of rock—intersect, making it susceptible to earthquakes.
