Furthermore, the vast majority of the world's large earthquakes occur near plate boundaries. Therefore, we can say that the types of stresses that generate frequent, deep, and large earthquakes near plate boundaries are not affecting New England. The stresses here, though significant, seem to be smaller, and more broadly distributed through the crust. Precise measurement of earth surface movements by NASA shows that the earth's crust in the eastern U.S. is all moving the same way, whereas different parts of crust in southern California are moving in different directions. Return to top Q3.
Small earthquakes are common in Maine.
In a typical year, Maine has several small earthquakes, most of which are too small to feel but a few of which may be felt locally. On the other hand, larger earthquakes have been few and far between and have a very small chance of occurring in any given year. Predicting individual earthquakes in eastern North America is not possible. That is, there is currently no reliable way to anticipate where, when, or how large the next earthquake in a certain region will occur. Nonetheless, if enough earthquakes are recorded over a long period of time, seismologists have found that there are statistical patterns that allow probabilities to be calculated.