Bowdle, South Dakota — It was over 250 miles from Sheldon, but still, as earthquakes in our area go, it was pretty close. The US Geological Survey reports a magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Bowdle, South Dakota very late Tuesday night.
It was reported as being 12 kilometers north-northwest of Bowdle at less than a minute before midnight. That’s roughly seven and a half miles. The epicenter was roughly 60 miles west of Aberdeen, 86 miles north-northeast of Pierre, or about 33 miles east of Mobridge. It’s also about 35 miles south of the South Dakota/North Dakota border. No reports of damage have been noted.
The quake was centered about five miles into the earth, according to the USGS. Those who told the USGS they felt the quake noted light shaking of the ground.
The quake is said to have been the only recent seismic activity in the area.
The USGS says the area has a low earthquake risk, and only one category higher than northwest Iowa, which is in an area of lowest risk.
Officials tell us that there is not one magnitude above which damage will occur. It depends on other variables, such as the distance from the earthquake, what type of soil you are on, etc. That being said, damage does not usually occur until the earthquake magnitude reaches somewhere above 4 or 5. Again, the Bowdle quake was measured at 3.2 on the Richter scale.
