A minor earthquake rattled the small town of Magee, Mississippi, around 1 p.m., marking the only seismic activity recorded in the state over the last three weeks. The 3.0 magnitude tremor occurred at a depth of 10.5 kilometers, causing no damage to the area. This event unfolded as Magee, a community with a population of 3,988 according to the 2020 U.S. Census, was already dealing with the aftermath of multiple tornadoes that struck on Saturday.
Magee is located on U.S. 49, approximately 42 miles southeast of Jackson, and serves as a gateway toward Hattiesburg. Despite its proximity to the Mississippi Valley, particularly the New Madrid seismic zone known for its seismic activity, such tremors are relatively rare in this region. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reassures that "damage does not usually occur until the earthquake magnitude reaches somewhere above 4 or 5."
The USGS further notes that the Mississippi Valley was historically the most seismically active area east of the Rocky Mountains until 2014. That year saw a dramatic increase in earthquake rates in Oklahoma, earning it the number one ranking in the conterminous United States.
"Until 2014, when the dramatic increase in earthquake rates gave Oklahoma the number one ranking in the conterminous U.S., the most seismically active area east of the Rocky Mountains was in the Mississippi Valley area known as the New Madrid seismic zone," – USGS website.
This recent quake near Magee follows a 2.5 magnitude earthquake that struck near the Ross Barnett Reservoir on Thanksgiving Day. Such occurrences underscore the unpredictable nature of seismic activity in regions not typically associated with frequent earthquakes.
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