Once in a Blue Moon
by Ray Benning
In light of the fact that an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 5.2
struck southern Illinois early Friday, I decided to do some research on
earthquakes in Minnesota.
Unheard of? Apparently not. I found out that two earthquakes have occurred in
Todd County. One in Long Prairie and one in Staples.
The strongest earthquake in Minnesota history happened in 1860 in Long
Prairie. It measured at 5.0 on the Richter Scale.
Earthquakes in Minnesota:
Date
Epicenter
County
Magnitude
1860
Long Prairie
Todd
5.0
Dec. 16, 1860 New
Prague Scott
4.7
Dec. 28, 1880 St.
Vincent Kittson
3.6
Feb. 6, 1917 Red
Lake Beltrami
3.6
Sept. 3, 1917
Staples Todd
4.3
Dec. 23, 1923
Bowstring Itasca
3.8
Jan. 28, 1939
Detroit Lakes
Becker 3.9
Feb. 15, 1950
Alexandria
Douglas 3.6
Sept. 28, 1964
Pipestone
Pipestone 3.4
July 9, 1975
Morris
Stevens
4.7
Mar. 6, 1979
Milaca
Mille Lacs
1.0
April 16, 1979
Evergreen Becker
3.1
May 14, 1979 Rush
City Chisago
1.0
July 26, 1979
Nisswa Crow Wing
1.0
April 24, 1981
Cottage Grove
Washington
3.6
Sept. 27, 1982
Walker
Cass
2.0
June 4, 1993 N.W.
of Morris Stevens
4.1
Feb. 9, 1994
Granite Falls
Yellow Medicine 3.1
(Information collected from the Minnesota Geological Survey)
My daughter says she wants to move to California someday, but is fearful of
earthquakes. This proves that they can happen anywhere.