A rare earthquake hit the coast of Florida on Wednesday, which sent rumbles across the city of Palm Bay.
The 4.0 magnitude earthquake came as a surprise to Floridians, who scarcely experience the natural phenomenon as there are no major fault lines in the area.
The strongest ever earthquake to hit Florida was on January 12, 1879, and measured in at 4.4. However, Wednesday's quake is the largest one ever recorded off the state's east coast, with a 3.9 magnitude earthquake in 2021 coming in second.
Striking at 10:48 pm on Wednesday night, the unusual earthquake rumbled about 101 miles off the coast of Cape Canaveral in Florida's Brevard County.
There was likely no physical cause for this earthquake, seismologist and professor of Geology at University of South Florida Steve McNutt told DailyMail.com.
McNutt said the quake was likely a result of residual stresses on the fault - but confirmed that it was a 'good size for the area.'
The expert suggested that Floridians take the earthquake as a 'heads-up'. Usually, Florida residents are concerned with hurricanes - but they should be wary that other hazards, like earthquakes, can and do occur.
A magnitude 4.0 quake is described as feeling like a large truck passing, or shaking caused by a nearby explosion.
The minor earthquakes can be felt, but usually cause no damage.
Wednesday's earthquake had a depth of just over six miles - making it a very shallow earthquake, according to USGS.
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