More small quakes rattle central Yellowstone

Summary

The small earthquakes that began in Yellowstone National Park a week ago continue. They include three more earthquakes Friday that measured stronger than magnitude 3.0.

Story Published: Jan 2, 2009 at 3:01 PM PST

Story Updated: Jan 2, 2009 at 3:01 PM PST

More small quakes rattle central Yellowstone
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - More earthquakes are rattling Yellowstone National Park.

The small earthquakes that began in the park a week ago continue. They include three more earthquakes Friday that measured stronger than magnitude 3.0. A quake of magnitude 3.5 happened at 11:30 a.m., followed by quakes measuring 3.2 and 3.1 at 12:40 p.m. and 1:15 p.m., according to the University of Utah Seismic Stations.

Several hundred quakes centered under the north end of Yellowstone Lake have now occurred since last Friday. The strongest so far was a magnitude 3.9 quake last Saturday.

A quake of magnitude 4.0 is able to cause damage. No damage is reported yet and few people are around to feel the quakes because the middle of the park is accessible only by snowmobile this time of year.

Earthquake swarms happen fairly often in Yellowstone. The most notable swarm on record happened over three months in 1985. Those quakes were centered outside West Yellowstone, Mont.