The United States Geological Survey has replotted the epicenter of the magnitude 4.0 earthquake that hit the Youngstown-Girard area Saturday just after 3 p.m.
Initial reports had the epicenter plotted in McDonald, the most recent measurements now have the quake centered just off Division Street, less than one tenth of a mile from the D & L brine injection well on Ohio Works Drive.
On Friday, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources ordered the well shut down until further testing could be done to determine if the well could be causing the quakes.
Saturday's quake is the eleventh to hit the immediate area since March. Previous to March there had never been a locally originated earthquake in the Youngstown area. The well went online just a short time before the first quake occurred on March 17th.
Reports were widespread from as far away as Canada and West Virginia of residents feeling the quake. Locally police phone lines as well as lines into our newsroom were jammed with reports from jolted citizens.
"I'm pro business, but I don't know about this," said Thomas Borocz after inspecting new cracks in the walls of his Girard business.
Cosmo Signoriello of Girard used to live in California where earthquakes are common. "We felt the ones that were in the area previously, and this is the most powerful yet." He said his wife put a quick estimate based on her west coast experience at magnitude 4.5.
In addition to cracks in drywall in Girard, bricks fell from a chimney in McDonald. Posters to the station's Facebook pages have submitted many pictures of cracked cement block walls, cracks in drywall, and reported slanting floors. No injuries have been reported.
