Rare Earthquake Reported Off Florida Coast

Federal officials reported a rare earthquake off the east coast of Florida Wednesday night (February 7), according to FOX 35 Orlando .

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a 4.0 magnitude earthquake over 100 miles off Cape Canaveral around 10:48 p.m. Officials said over 40 people reported feeling a shaking sensation in places like Merritt Island, Melbourne, and Satellite Beach as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday (February 8). These locations are also closest to the quake range on the USGS map.

The agency said the quake rumbled roughly 6 miles underneath the ocean floor. Magnitude scales show a 4.0 earthquake is "often felt but causes minor damage."

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection states the risk of earthquakes is "very low" in the state.

"While the risk of tectonic activity (earthquakes) is very low in Florida, the state is prone to several other hazards including" sinkholes, flooding and erosion, and problem soils, officials wrote on their page about geohazards .

The last time the Sunshine State experienced an earthquake was on September 3, 2020, according to the USGS. The 1.8 magnitude quake was reported a few miles south of the Florida-Alabama border, and some claim their homes were shaking from the hazard.