How many earthquakes have been felt on the Treasure Coast? More than one

Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·3 min read

A 4.0 magnitude earthquake off Florida's East Coast, along with a sonic boom associated with a launch from Cape Canaveral, shook parts of the Treasure Coast Wednesday.

While earthquakes are rare in Florida, they do happen. Most are clustered in the northwestern Panhandle. Florida is among the most geologically stable areas in the United States.

Beyond Florida's borders, though, earthquakes are more frequent and, depending on their location and strength, could shake the Treasure Coast. The closest fault line to Florida runs through the Caribbean Sea, just north of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and south of Cuba toward Guatemala.

How strong was the most recent Florida earthquake and where was it?

A 4.0 earthquake took place 101 miles east of Cape Canaveral Feb. 7, 2024.
A 4.0 earthquake took place 101 miles east of Cape Canaveral Feb. 7, 2024.

The quake's epicenter was 101 miles east of Cape Canaveral and registered a magnitude of 4.0, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Where on the Treasure Coast was the quake felt?

The Feb. 7, 2024, earthquake east of Florida was felt along the Treasure Coast as far south as Stuart.
The Feb. 7, 2024, earthquake east of Florida was felt along the Treasure Coast as far south as Stuart.

People had self-reported feeling the earthquake in Sebastian, Vero Beach and as far south as Stuart on the Geological Survey's website as of Friday morning, according to "Did You Feel It?" data, a citizen-reporting tool used to measure the potential reach of earthquakes.

Earthquakes measured by magnitude. Here's what the numbers mean

  • 2.5 or less: Usually not felt but can be recorded by seismograph.

  • 2.5 to 5.4: Often felt, but causes minor damage.

  • 5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings.

  • 6.1 to 6.9: May cause major damage in populated areas.

  • 7.0 to 7.9: Major earthquake causing serious damage.

  • 8.0 or greater: Great earthquake that can destroy communities near the epicenter.

Have there been any earthquakes reported on the Treasure Coast?

No. Records dating back to 1900 on the U.S. Geological Survey's website show no earthquakes with an epicenter on the Treasure Coast.

How many earthquakes have been felt by Treasure Coast residents?

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake on Jan. 28, 2020, north-northwest of Lucea, Jamaica, was felt in several areas across Florida, including the Treasure Coast from Vero Beach to Stuart.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake on Jan. 28, 2020, north-northwest of Lucea, Jamaica, was felt in several areas across Florida, including the Treasure Coast from Vero Beach to Stuart.

From largest to smallest since 2000, here are some of the biggest or closest earthquakes reported by the U.S. Geological Survey that have been felt along the Treasure Coast include:

Magnitude 7.7, Jan. 28, 2020: North-northwest of Lucea, Jamaica. Felt in several areas across Florida, including Vero Beach to Stuart.

Magnitude 7.5, Jan. 10, 2018: North-northeast of Patuca, Honduras. While this wasn't felt on the Treasure Coast, reports were filed by residents in Palm Bay and West Palm Beach.

Magnitude 7.2, Aug. 14, 2021: Nippes, Haiti. One report was filed from Port St. Lucie.

Magnitude 5.9, Sept. 10, 2006: Gulf of Mexico. Felt across much of Florida, including the Treasure Coast from Sebastian to Stuart.

Magnitude 5.9, Oct. 7, 2018: West, northwest of Port-de-Paix, Haiti. One reported filed from Port St. Lucie.

Magnitude 4.0, Feb. 7, 2024: East of Cape Canaveral. Felt along the entire Treasure Coast and parts of Central Florida. Even a few locations along the central West Coast.

Jamaica earthquake: Powerful 7.7 earthquake strikes in Caribbean between Cuba and Jamaica

How many earthquakes have been felt in and around Florida?

There have been 1,223 earthquakes in and around Florida since 2000. Most have occurred along a fault line that runs from Guatemala to north of Puerto Rico.
There have been 1,223 earthquakes in and around Florida since 2000. Most have occurred along a fault line that runs from Guatemala to north of Puerto Rico.

Since 2000, 1,223 earthquakes have been felt in the area ranging from the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, east to the Bahamas, all of Florida and into the Caribbean Sea.

The largest was the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the Caribbean Sea north-northwest of Jamaica on Jan. 28, 2020. It was followed by a series of strong aftershocks and shook a large stretch from Florida to Mexico but caused no major damage or casualties.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Treasure Coast and earthquakes. Several felt from Vero Beach to Stuart