The November 9, 1968 earthquake
M5.3near Norris City, Illinois
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake 9.8 miles deep, centred in White County. The strongest in Illinois’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles in the catalogue, which runs from 1900.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.3
- moment magnitude (mw)
- Depth
- 9.8 mi
- 15.7 km below the surface
- Local time
- Saturday, November 9, 1968
- 11:01 CST; 17:01 UTC
- In Illinois’s record
- 1st
- strongest of 149 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event iscgem814965 (“5 km SSW of Norris City, Illinois”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.
Counties and cities within 50 miles
Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.
Counties, nearest 30 of 33
- White CountyIL · inside
- Saline CountyIL · 2.3 mi
- Hamilton CountyIL · 2.3 mi
- Gallatin CountyIL · 2.3 mi
- Posey CountyIN · 14.3 mi
- Franklin CountyIL · 19.8 mi
- Williamson CountyIL · 19.8 mi
- Union CountyKY · 20.3 mi
- Jefferson CountyIL · 22.9 mi
- Pope CountyIL · 23.6 mi
- Henderson CountyKY · 23.6 mi
- Hardin CountyIL · 23.6 mi
- Wayne CountyIL · 24.7 mi
- Edwards CountyIL · 24.7 mi
- Gibson CountyIN · 28.6 mi
- Wabash CountyIL · 29.9 mi
- Johnson CountyIL · 30.3 mi
- Crittenden CountyKY · 32.8 mi
- Livingston CountyKY · 35.5 mi
- Vanderburgh CountyIN · 35.9 mi
- Webster CountyKY · 39.7 mi
- Marion CountyIL · 41.5 mi
- Perry CountyIL · 42.3 mi
- Jackson CountyIL · 43.3 mi
- Union CountyIL · 44.2 mi
- Richland CountyIL · 45.1 mi
- Massac CountyIL · 45.8 mi
- Clay CountyIL · 46.1 mi
- Knox CountyIN · 46.8 mi
- Washington CountyIL · 47.0 mi
Cities, largest first
- EvansvilleIN · 44.9 mi
- HendersonKY · 42.9 mi
- CarbondaleIL · 49.6 mi
- MarionIL · 34.8 mi
- Mount VernonIL · 40.0 mi
- HerrinIL · 38.0 mi
Earthquakes around the epicentre
28 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.
No earlier earthquake of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles in the catalogue since 1900.
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.