4.3 Quake Hits Southern Colorado - 'Diverse Places'

4 earthquakes, including a magnitude 4.3, overnight in southern Colorado

Four earthquakes struck overnight Thursday into Friday in western Las Animas County according to the United States Geological Survey.

The first, measuring 4.3 on the Richter Scale, occurred shortly after 11:00 p.m. Thursday roughly 10 miles west of Trinidad, or about 70 miles south of Pueblo, at a depth of just over one mile beneath the surface. The mountainous area is northwest of Lake Trinidad and Trinidad State Park.

A second nearby quake occurred at 1:40 a.m. Friday. That earthquake measured 2.8 and was about four miles below the surface.

The next quake, measuring 2.5, was recorded at 2:43 a.m. approximately three miles west of the original quake and was roughly three miles beneath the surface.

The fourth earthquake was located about three miles northwest of the first two. It occurred at 3:50 a.m. and was also about one mile deep. It measured 3.0 on the Richter Scale.

As of 6:30 a.m. Friday, 67 people - mainly around Trinidad, but as far away as Pueblo - reported feeling the earthquake. A handful of people reported feeling the subsequent quakes. No reports of damage had been received at the time of publication.

Minor earthquakes are relatively common in Las Animas County. Over the past 45 days, the area around Trinidad has experienced seven earthquakes measuring 2.5 or greater on the Richter Scale, including a magnitude 3.1 which occurred January 31 just outside of Trinidad.

4.3 magnitude earthquake felt in southern Colorado

In the late hours Thursday, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake shook parts of southern Colorado.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake was centered in the Burro Canyon area in Valdez. Julie Bush of Weston, Colorado told KDVR’s sister station FOX21 News she felt the shaking at 11:07 p.m.

“We’re at 7,600 feet and it felt like an explosion, stuff flew off the walls and I’m still shaking!” said Bush.

USGS’s website shows the shaking might have been felt as far north as Fort Carson and Fountain areas.

The USGS “Did you feel it?” program uses reports from citizens to estimate where the earthquake was likely felt. Here’s their map for the overnight earthquake.