The Red Cross announced that dozens of families have been displaced from their homes after an earthquake from the Massachusetts coast damaged a lot of homes on Sunday morning.
According to the reports by the United Geological Survey, the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 3.6, happened at about 9:10 am in the Buzzards Bay area, which is about 6.8 miles south of Dartmouth’s Bliss Corner neighborhood. Information from the UGS said the earthquake hit a depth of nearly 6.2 miles.
There were reports of people who felt the intensity of the earthquake from New Bedford to East Bridgewater. Some residents of the Natick, up to as far as Granby and Gloucester, also reported impact. Residents of Cape Cod were amongst those who felt the quake, including U.S. Rep. Bill Keating, who lives in the area.
Keating reported that almost suddenly, he felt his entire house shaken to its foundation. He said it was as if an explosion had taken place except that it came without a sound. Residents of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire reported feeling the impact of the quake.
A geophysicist with the USGS told reporters that about 14,000 had already logged on to the agency’s website to report the earthquake. He said residents from places like Easthampton and Massachusetts gave details of their experience. Residents from Hartford and Connecticut are about 100 miles from the epicenter of the quake also gave their experience, having felt its impact.
The Red Cross in Massachusetts told news outlets that about three homes in Crapo and Nelson streets in the New Bedford area had to be evacuated after the earthquake caused structural damage to the properties. This has resulted in about ten families and 22 individuals having to be evacuated.
The New Bedford Fire Department said that the bottom half of the chimney stacks at a house in 202 Crapo St. was destroyed. It noted that pipes from the furnaces were also affected, which meant that gas in the entire building had to be shut off as a precaution. The occupants of the building were subsequently left without heat or stoves. There were gas leaks in other nearby buildings in the area.
The New Bedford District Fire Chief James Fortin advised residents to look for signs of cracks in their basement and chimneys and everywhere else in the house. The affected residents who were displaced will soon be provided lodging support, according to the Red Cross.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said there had not been any report of major damage or injuries occasioned by the earthquake. He also assured citizens that there were no concerns over a tsunami taking place. Experts said the aftershocks of the earthquake wouldn’t happen until the next few days. However, potential shocks would bring about the same intensity as Sunday’s earthquake.
Source: nytimes.com
