4.4 Magnitude Quake Rattles SW Montana

An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter Scale shook the town of Lima, Montana, just after noon on Tuesday.

That initial quake was followed by an aftershock registering 3.2.

The depth of the two earthquakes were just over six miles each.

The 4.4 magnitude was the largest so far in 2019 in the state of Montana.

No significant damage was reported in the area, but an official with the school district noted that it gave students and teachers an opportunity to review and practice an earthquake drill after the incident.

Seismic activity in Montana is not uncommon, but in recent weeks there has been an uptick in earthquakes measuring at least 2.5 or more:

• 3/21/19: 3.1 magnitude near Lincoln
• 3/24/19: 3.2 magnitude near Seeley Lake
• 3/25/19: 2.6 magnitude near Manhattan
• 4/9/19: 4.4 magnitude near Lima
• 4/9/19: 3.2 magnitude near Lima

Back on February 21, at approximately 11:45 p.m., residents around the Gallatin Valley reported feeling an earthquake centered near Manhattan. That quake measured 3.8 in magnitude, but occurred at a depth of only 2.4 miles, causing many people to wake up and report the loud sound of the earthquake as it shook the community.