Could Kentucky be due for more earthquakes? Expert seismologist weighs in

KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — Due to the recent uptick in observed seismic activity, some Kentuckians wonder if more could be coming soon.

Recently, United States Geological Survey (USGS) data showed a 2.8 magnitude earthquake hit central Kentucky around 3:41 a.m. on Sunday, May 11, originating between Nicholasville and Danville. This tremor comes on the heels of a 4.1 magnitude earthquake that USGS officials pinpointed near the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

According to an interactive earthquake map and database, Kentucky has noticed a roughly 6% increase in seismic activity over the last 30 days.

FOX 56 spoke with University of Kentucky seismologist Seth Carpenter regarding seismic activity in the Bluegrass.

Carpenter said the most recent earthquakes had no connection with the New Madrid seismic zone, despite the tendency of earthquakes to concentrate along the fault line.

Earthquakes are often caused by a sudden slip along a fault, according to the USGS. Carpenter said these slips happen when enough stress builds up to overpower the fault’s strength.

Regarding the earthquake on Sunday in Garrard County, Carpenter said it was a rare event, but the magnitude is consistent with past earthquakes recorded there.

The cause of the recent earthquakes is not definitively known, according to Carpenter, since they came from depths of roughly 25-30 kilometers inside the Earth’s crust.

He noted that it was difficult to connect the activity at the fault line with future seismic activity.

“It’s difficult to say conclusively whether the recent earthquakes foretell of future earthquakes. Nevertheless, it seems unlikely they suggest any increase in likelihood of future earthquakes since none of them has been determined to be part of a sequence,” Carpenter said.

He encouraged anyone concerned about Kentucky earthquakes to download a booklet on earthquake preparedness.

To monitor the UK earthquake network data, click here.