Fourth Earthquake Reported Near Florida-Alabama Line

March 14, 2019

The fourth earthquake in the North Escambia area in about a week occurred early Wednesday morning near Pollard, AL.

The USGS now says the magnitude 2.2 earthquake occurred about 1.1 miles south of Pollard, or about 5 miles northeast of Century, at 1:50 a.m. It was centered about three miles deep off Pollard Road near McBride Circle. There were no injuries or property damage reported.

(While the quake occurred very early Wednesday morning, the minor earthquake report was not issued by the USGS until Thursday night.)

A magnitude 2.3 earthquake was centered near Highway 31 and Hillview Drive about 8:26 p.m Tuesday.

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake was reported just outside  Flomaton Monday afternoon. It occurred three  miles north-northeast of Flomaton near Old Fannie Road and Welka Road at 1:36 p.m. The epicenter was about three miles deep.

A smaller 2.7 earthquake occurred the night of March 6 between Century and Jay.  The epicenter was near the intersection of Nelsontown Road and Shell Road.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the North Escambia area sits on the Bahamas Fracture Seismic Zone (the BSZ). Several earthquakes have occurred along this zone in recent years, but most are too weak to be felt by residents. A significant earthquake is not considered likely in the area.

Comments

24 Responses to “Fourth Earthquake Reported Near Florida-Alabama Line”

  1. Some guy on March 17th, 2019 6:29 am

    Thank you Mr Green. Simple research and paying attention. Facts are so mundane. But, Mr State Line….keep on churning out conspiracy theories. I’ll stick with the boring truth.

  2. David Huie Green on March 16th, 2019 11:19 pm

    REGARDING:
    “@some guy
    smoke this
    http://www.northescambia.com/2019/02/gulf-power-considering-converting-plant-crist-to-natural-gas-pipeline-through-north-escambia

    So re-read the article and see:

    “The proposed natural gas pipeline will run about 39 miles from the existing Florida Gas Transmission Pipeline near the Florida/Alabama border outside Century south through McDavid, Molino and Cantonment to Plant Crist on Pate Street just northwest of the University of West Florida.”

    As “Some guy” was pointing out. Florida Gas Transmission is a natural gas pipeline which brings gas from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama into Florida.

    It doesn’t come from gas production from hydraulic fracturing (fracking) around here. In fact, as has been said repeatedly, there has been NO fracking around here. Fracking is used to fracture SHALE not sandstone, limestone, or dolomite.

    As to
    “So what caused those Loud noises and subsequent house rattles and shakes last year or so? ”

    Absent earthquakes — which would have been detected, recorded, located. and reported — loud noises usually come from sonic booms from supersonic aircraft or missiles (say weapons testing around Eglin) or meteors low in the atmosphere. Sometimes loud noises come from explosions (say munitions testing around Eglin). Sometimes they come from crashes or even trains coupling.

    What they DON’T come from is things that don’t happen.

    David for reality — be it ever so mundane

  3. State Line on March 16th, 2019 5:35 pm
  4. Some guy on March 16th, 2019 9:02 am

    State line…..I want some of what you are smoking!!! Little tidbit on Nextera, it’s public knowledge that they seek a natural gas tap from a pipeline who’s gas comes from west of you substantially. (research Florida Gas Transmission) They won’t be using any natural gas from this area, not one cubic foot. No fracking here per say. They use gas lift and waterflood for enhanced oil recovery. Field has been in play since 1970. Some wells, shallower, here since the 30’s. But, panic and made up info is what alot of folks want to believe. Use the interweb for a little research on facts, not conspiracy theories.

  5. John on March 16th, 2019 8:11 am

    Oh….i forgot to mention, those those aliens wanted me to pass along we need to bring back Radio Shack cuz they had a hard time finding those parts.

  6. John on March 16th, 2019 12:29 am

    Beanie Baby, it’s not a living planet we are on. It’s a dying planet. 2/3rds of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is dead. Species are becoming extinct at a much faster rate. I never see frogs or horned toads anymore. Of all the animals that have gone extinct, 80% has been in the last century. Our oceans are full of garbage and plastic. Smog is thick and sickens people in big cities. Smog even crosses the ocean from China and pollutes USA. We continue to pollute and now we’ve a government OK to pollute more.

  7. Citizen on March 15th, 2019 4:09 pm

    I think the concern is how does this affect the water table and drinking water. With all of Century’s problems do they even test the drinking water like it’s supposed to be tested and reported?

    such a lack of confidence all around for this area.

    The Consumer Confidence reports that Century sends out do not address all the parameter the DEP says they should. Do they consult and follow through as drinking water providers to the population?

    At this point, many are under the impression they are rogue and no one cares.

    Will Mike Hill or Doug Broxson or anyone be attending the meeting Monday night and investigating what is going to happen with the municipality of Century and their ability to provide services?

    Would not the fact, if it were so, that the oil company is injecting waste water into the aquifer there be of concern?

  8. Pam on March 15th, 2019 1:23 pm

    These are nothing to be concerned about. I can’t believe these are even being felt. . Here in Alaska we don’t even feel them unless it is 4 or above. We have thousands of small ones all the time. It doesn’t mean these little.ones will lead to a big one.

  9. David Huie Green on March 15th, 2019 1:04 pm

    CONSIDERING:
    “With these small ones the big one might be coming!”

    “The big one” typically refers to the right-lateral strike-slip fault in California where the west side of the fault is headed north-ish and energy is being stored in the rock and it suddenly being released. Florida isn’t seeing such relative motion.

    Typically aftershocks occur after an earthquake in part because the initial earthquake shifted the stresses around and rock elsewhere gives way to produce another earthquake, usually smaller than the first.

    In this case, the 1997 quake released about 158 times as much energy as the 2.7 quake. The second recent quake released about 2.5 times as much energy as the 2.7. The second recent one released about 6.3 times as much energy as the third and 7.9 times as much as the fourth.

    It looks like it’s settling down even if there’s still some shaking happening. This doesn’t mean it’s over. Different parts of the planet move in different directions but very slowly. (Some folks proposed creating small quakes along the San Andreas fault to release the energy gradually but they put it off until they are sure they won’t CAUSE the big one early.)

    David for giant lubricants
    properly applied

  10. AL on March 15th, 2019 10:47 am

    Jay field uses injection wells, these type of wells are linked to earthquakes. The new wells- all the wells from what I understand- are around 3 miles deep. How deep is the old Pollard fault line? The recent earthquakes are around 3 miles deep….

    I think both options are certainly possible. Do we know which one… well pretty certain none of us internet crusade geologist have that answer. There was a link to a FSU geologist paper from several years back that basically stated that it could be either/or. Same holds true at this point. Could it be the injection wells? Absolutely Could it be a previously quiet ancient fault line? Absolutely

    If it is the injection wells do you really believe the oil company would care? Absolutely not.

  11. mat on March 15th, 2019 10:13 am

    Bama Bob,
    Shiny side out is correct.

  12. FarmHillBarb on March 15th, 2019 8:46 am

    Four in a week. With these small ones the big one might be coming!

  13. Bama Bob on March 15th, 2019 8:10 am

    I just have one burning question….should we wear our tinfoil hats shiny side out?

  14. Tacocat is tacocat backwards. on March 15th, 2019 7:33 am

    There are zero Wells Being fracked in those areas. I believe the closest sight being fracked is north Alabama. Even if there was it wouldn’t cause an earthquake as they wouldn’t even reach the depth the quake was measured at. North west FL sits on a fault line that runs all the way to Texas though so you know that could probably cause it.

  15. John on March 15th, 2019 6:48 am

    No, I think there are some aliens (not illegal aliens) but the kind with big eyes and big heads! Trying to get their spaceship free, because it is stuck in the ground! I saw some hitchhiking the other day in that area…. look like their flux capacitor may have went bad cuz they was carrying a new one!

  16. James on March 15th, 2019 4:27 am

    An awful lot of Kool-Aid being passed around since these little shakes. Refreshing to see some people still have their wits about them. Thank you goes out to Beanie Baby for passing along a worthy and much needed perspective.

  17. Beanie Baby on March 14th, 2019 11:49 pm

    I don’t know if they’re fracking but even if they are it’s not causing any problems.

    The anti-fracking movement is based in ignorance and social media disinformation campaign being pushed by America’s enemies from within and Russia’s internet propaganda agency. The communists don’t want an energy independent, stable and wealthy America.

    Do you know what’s really causing our earthquakes? It’s the living planet we’re on. Tectonic plates move, get over it.

    But by all means, please continue to believe what your cousin’s buddy’s sister posted about the evils of fracking on her Facebook page. She’s the best source for scientific data and all your Mary Kay and essential oil needs.

  18. LISA H RODIER on March 14th, 2019 11:20 pm

    I HAVE FELT TREMORS IN THE PAST IN MILTON, FLORIDA. THOUGHT I WAS JUST IMAGINING THINGS. NOW I KNOW THAT I WASN’T!

  19. Hole Digger on March 14th, 2019 10:41 pm

    I think there are a few rigs drilling in South Alabama and I think 1 around Jay, FL. I don’t know how they are fracking the wells though.

  20. State line on March 14th, 2019 10:18 pm

    So what caused those Loud noises and subsequent house rattles and shakes last year or so? That SOUNDED and felt EXACTLY like the 3.1 Monday after noon. I’m not convinced. Its the fracking at the line. Crist Plant wants the gas.This area has been exploited in the past. Look at the satellite image of Big Escambia Creek and the gravel operation. How much did that cost the taxpayers to remedy? Wake up.

  21. William on March 14th, 2019 10:08 pm

    >>>Right according to data. Were they monitoring? What caused those jolts and noises last year? True USG’s said there wasn’t a quake. Sorry but yes they were. I don’t think they were monitoring.

    Yes, they were monitoring. There’s been a local monitoring station in Brewton since right after a 1997 quake, and quakes are recorded at multiple locations. They are not just recorded at “local” stations.

    >>Convince me otherwise.

    Not even going to try. The USGS is the authority on earthquakes.

  22. State line on March 14th, 2019 10:05 pm

    Right according to data. Were they monitoring? What caused those jolts and noises last year? True USG’s said there wasn’t a quake. Sorry but yes they were. I don’t think they were monitoring. Do an article on when they resumed and opened up this Big Escambia site they just sold. Convince me otherwise. I dare you.

  23. William on March 14th, 2019 9:52 pm

    >>These are all felt and there were some last year.

    There were no earthquakes in the area last year. Other than the four so far this year, there were ZERO earthquakes of Magnitude 0 or greater since 2003 within 100km of the area, according to USGS data.

  24. State line on March 14th, 2019 9:45 pm

    These are all felt and there were some last year. It has to do with the drilling at the Big Escambia creek oil field . contact both Governor of AL and FL and shut them down before they contaminate the aquifer drinking water in both Flomaton and Century. The new Southern Company next energy want to use the hidden away place in AL for Natural gas to the power plant. They are counting on the simple folk and proximity to the state line to accomplish their agenda.