When you think about earthquakes, Florida’s probably not the first state that comes to mind. But that doesn’t mean they can’t happen.
In fact, Florida was rattled nearly one year ago after a nighttime earthquake was reported off the coast of Brevard County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
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While the 4.0-magnitude earthquake startled many along the Space Coast, earthquakes aren’t generally a huge threat to the state, as Florida isn’t over any active fault lines.
In fact, Florida is one of only four states that had no earthquakes between 1975 and 1995.
However, that hasn’t stopped earthquakes from popping up in the Sunshine State in the past.
USGS data shows that several quakes were clustered along Florida’s northwest border, though the strongest ever reported was much closer to Central Florida.
The University of Florida reports that shortly before midnight on Jan. 12, 1879, the largest earthquake on record struck the state, possibly centered in Putnam County.
That earthquake weighed in at a magnitude of 4.4, with nearby residents experiencing two back-to-back quakes.
According to accounts at the time, the earthquake was felt in Cedar Key, Gainesville, Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Tallahassee.
While the impacts can vary, USGS researchers explain that earthquakes can generally become damaging once the magnitude reaches above 4 or 5.
“A pair of 30-second tremors, possibly centered in the Palatka area, sent crockery tumbling off shelves and jolted startled residents awake in a large part of North Florida,” researchers said.
Another earthquake — though smaller — was reported near Jacksonville in 1900, sitting at a magnitude of 3.5.
“At 11:15 a.m., residents reported seismic activity that lasted no more than 10 seconds and caused little damage to city buildings,” the Florida Historical Society wrote about the quake.
Meanwhile, other strong earthquakes had their strength felt in Florida, though they didn’t originate in the state.
One notable example is the 1886 Charleston Earthquake, which reportedly sparked a tsunami along Florida’s east coast.
[READ: Here’s how many times Florida has seen tsunamis. Could one strike again?]
Another case happened in 2006, when a strong 5.6-magnitude earthquake deep in the Gulf of Mexico caused tremors throughout several southern states, including Florida.
Another cluster of earthquakes was triggered in 2016 and again in 2021 off the coast of Flagler County by what the USGS lists as “experimental explosions.”
These were set off due to the U.S. Navy’s explosives testing, which was aimed at making sure Naval ships could withstand the force of such blasts.
While earthquakes are still incredibly rare in mainland Florida, there’s always the chance of another one popping up.
But just how high are those chances? Here’s what News 6 Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges had to say:
“We have minimal earthquakes in Florida because we are located on the North American plate, far away from any fault lines. The closest fault line to Florida is near the Caribbean Sea, north of Puerto Rico.
Earthquakes typically happen on fault lines where two plates moving in opposite directions meet. Most of the time when an earthquake is recorded in Florida, it’s from human activity like drilling or the Navy training.”
News 6 Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges
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