Michigan is a state that is relatively isolated from major tectonic activity, but not immune to seismic events. The largest earthquake to ever shake Michigan was a magnitude-4.6 quake that occurred in 1947 near Coldwater. It was the largest quake with an epicenter in Michigan in records dating back about a century, and it caused some damage and disruption in the region. The last significant earthquake in Michigan was a magnitude-3.5 event that occurred on Sept. 2, 1994, southwest of Lansing.
The Coldwater Quake
The Coldwater quake was believed to be the most intense earthquake ever recorded with an epicenter in the state of Michigan. It occurred on Aug. 10, 1947, near the town of Coldwater, about 50 miles southeast of Kalamazoo. The quake was felt widely across the state and in several neighboring states. It caused some minor damage to buildings and roads, but no fatalities or injuries were reported.
The Kalamazoo Quake
The magnitude-4.2 earthquake that occurred on May 2, 2015, near Galesburg, about 9 miles southeast of Kalamazoo, was the largest quake with an epicenter in Michigan since the Coldwater quake. It was widely felt across the state and in several neighboring states. It did not cause any significant damage or disruption, but it attracted the attention of University of Michigan researchers who studied the seismic event and its implications for the region.
Conclusion
Michigan is a state that is relatively isolated from major tectonic activity, but not immune to seismic events. The largest earthquake to ever shake Michigan was a magnitude-4.6 quake that occurred in 1947 near Coldwater, which caused some minor damage and disruption in the region. The last significant earthquake in Michigan was a magnitude-3.5 event that occurred on Sept. 2, 1994, southwest of Lansing.
The magnitude-4.2 earthquake that occurred on May 2, 2015, near Galesburg, was the largest quake with an epicenter in Michigan since the Coldwater quake, and it did not cause any significant damage or disruption, but it attracted the attention of University of Michigan researchers who studied the seismic event and its implications for the region.