Science & Nature
3.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Central Illinois
A map depicting the location of an earthquake recorded May 12, 2025. (U.S. Geological Survey)
A 3.3 magnitude earthquake struck Illinois shortly before midnight Monday, with an epicenter roughly 75 miles southeast of Springfield.
The intensity produced light shaking, according to reports gathered by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The area is part of the Illinois Basin-Ozark Dome Region, which borders the much more seismically active New Madrid zone. It covers parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas.
According to USGS, the largest historical earthquake in the region was a 5.4 magnitude tremor recorded in 1968. Smaller earthquakes are felt once or twice a year in the area, the agency said.
Though earthquakes in the central and eastern parts of the country are less frequent than those in the west, their effects are typically felt over a larger area, USGS said.
In July 2024, an earthquake struck closer to home for Chicagoans, with an epicenter 60 miles west of the city.
The largest quake to hit Illinois in the last 20 years was 5.2 magnitude in 2008, centered near Mt. Carmel in the southern part of the state.
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | pwetli@wttw.com
