EARTHQUAKE STRIKES WESTERN PA

5.2 MAGNITUDE-EPICENTER NEAR SHARON, PA  

by Robert Higgins, Forecaster NWS Pittsburgh

 

AN EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED ABOUT 353 PM EDT FRIDAY AFTERNOON SEP 25 1998

CENTERED 20 MILES WEST OF SHARON PENNSYLVANIA. MAGNITUDE WAS 5.2 ON 

THE RICHTER SCALE.         

TREMORS WERE FELT AS FAR NORTH AS SOUTHERN ONTARIO AND AS FAR WEST AS DETROIT,

MICHIGAN. 

THE EARTHQUAKE WAS ALSO FELT IN THE DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH AREA AS WELL AS IN

BUTLER, BEAVER, AND VENANGO COUNTIES.



DAMAGE WAS PRIMARILY CONFINED TO MERCER COUNTY WHERE STORE ITEMS WERE KNOCKED

OFF THEIR SHELVES, CEILING TILES KNOCKED LOOSE, AND BOOKS OUT OF SHELVES IN 

THE LOCAL COURTHOUSE.

THIS EARTHQUAKE WAS LATER FOUND TO BE THE STRONGEST QUAKE TO AFFECT

PENNSYLVANIA SINCE RECORDS WERE KEPT.