Earthquake rattles East Hampton on Wednesday

EAST HAMPTON, CT (WFSB) - Noise and shaking rattled the Town of East Hampton on Wednesday.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a 1.7 magnitude earthquake happened in town.

The earthquake was reported to the USGS by 15 people.

Town officials said they received reports about it a little before 9 a.m.

In a social media post Wednesday, the town attributed the shaking to the “Moodus Noises.”

“After checking the area of the south end of the town and having no specific reports of issues or problems at this time, we, too, attribute the situation to the ‘Moodus Noises,’” the town posted to social media.

The town described the Moodus Noises as noises and related earthquaking that emanate from an area south of the Salmon River that has been ongoing for centuries.

“Moodus is an area that has, dating back for centuries, a record of small to moderate earthquakes,” said Maureen Long, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

Long says this part of the state also experienced earthquakes and strange noises in the 1980s.

So why does such a small part of the state have such a deep history of earthquakes?

Long says it’s something she and scientists are still trying to figure out.

“My research group at Yale, we’ve recently entered into a partnership with The East Haddam Historical Society to install a seismometer there and see if we can get some more information about the Moodus noises,” Long said.

Despite the history of the area, Long said those living in Moodus and surrounding towns shouldn’t be worried.

“Small to moderate earthquakes are a hazard in that part of the state and world, but would I advise people to worry? I wouldn’t. This is just part of living in that part of the state,” Long explained.

“I hope it’s not anything too regular, but it doesn’t seem like it was anything too serious to anyone in the area or damaging to the area itself so good to hear,” said Michael Underwood, East Hampton.