Four earthquakes reported near Sandpoint, Idaho

U.S. Geological Survey geologists say four earthquakes centering in Idaho were recorded from 8:32 p.m. on April 23 into the morning of April 24.

Two of the earthquakes — a magnitude 4.1 and a 4.2 — jolted north Idaho. Residents reported feeling them from northeastern Washington to northwestern Montana. No injuries or serious damage were reported. The latest was a 3.3 magnitude quake reported about 2:28 a.m., again near Sandpoint.

U.S.G.S. reported that the magnitude 4.1 quake occurred about 8:32 p.m. centered about 30 miles northeast of Hayden, Idaho. A 2.8 magnitude quake shook Council, Idaho in the west-central part of the state, near the Oregon border around 9:49 p.m. The third quake occurred about 11:43 p.m. centered about 38 miles north-northeast of Hayden.

The quakes were felt in Montana from Heron, Noxon, Hot Springs, Troy, Thompson Falls to other parts of Northwest Montana.

The Idaho quakes follow recent activity reported last year in Northwest Montana. A magnitude 3.9 earthquake centered on the Half Moon area in the Flathead Valley rattled homes and businesses around midnight on Nov. 14, and two earthquakes in the Marion area west of Kalispell measuring 4.0 and 3.0 magnitude occurred Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

This seismic activity in the Flathead was not considered unusual, Mike Stickney, director of the Earthquake Studies Office with the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology in Butte, said at the time.

“The area south of McGregor Lake is experiencing what we call an earthquake swarm,” he said shortly after the Marion quakes. “Swarms have had an historical presence in the area.”