Environmental

5.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Central Part of Colorado


Colorado Earthquake

COLORADO—(ENEWSPF)—August 23, 2011. The U.S. Geological Survey has reported that the strongest earthquake in nearly 40 years shook southwestern Colorado late Monday.

The 5.3 magnitude quake struck an area in the central part of Colorado Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 05:46:19 UTC, 12:46:19 AM (CDT) – Central Daylight (Chicago), about 290 kilometers south of Denver. This was the strongest of at least eight earthquakes that occurred within a miles of one another beginning Monday morning.

The epicenter was located at coordinates 37.070°N, 104.700°W at a depth of 4 km (2.5 miles), 15 km (9 miles) WSW of Trinidad, Colorado; 33 km (20 miles) NW of Raton, New Mexico; 54 km (33 miles) S of Walsenburg, Colorado; and 290 km (180 miles) S of DENVER, Colorado.

A local sheriff’s dispatcher reported several homes were damaged and a rockslide was reported near a highway.

Two smaller earthquakes also struck the region early Tuesday morning.


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