2.3 Magnitude Earthquake Reported In Northeast

A 2.3-magnitude earthquake was reported in Maryland on Tuesday (January 2), according to the United States Geological Survey.

The natural disaster was located in Rockville and centered at a depth of 15.3 kilometers (9.5 miles). The USGS said it received 1,826 reports of citizens claiming to have felt the earthquake as of Tuesday morning.

No damages or injuries were reported in relation to the earthquake, according to authorities. Earthquakes typically don't result in damage if they aren't measured at a magnitude exceeding 4.0. The Washington-Baltimore region has experienced small quakes dating back to at least 1877, which included an unusually strong 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck central Virginia in 2011, resulting in significant damages to monuments and structures across the Washington, D.C. region, FOX 5 DC reports.

The Maryland earthquake comes hours after a massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Japan, resulting in at least 48 deaths as of Tuesday morning.

The Maryland earthquake also comes nine days after a 2.7-magnitude earthquake was reported in New Hampshire on December 24. The natural disaster was located in Concord and centered at a depth of 5.0 kilometers (3.1 miles).

The New England region has experienced small tremors that occur about twice per year, while more significant earthquakes were present in the region during colonial times, which included the largest known tremors taking place in Vermont or New Hampshire in 1638, as well as offshore from Cape Ann in 1755, which resulted in severe damage to the Boston waterfront, according to the USGS via MassLive.com.

The last earthquake to cause significant damage in New England occurred in central New Hampshire in 1940.