Early August Quake Recorded in Kiowa County

By Chris Sorensen

Global attention has been focused on the impacts of a magnitude 6.2 on the Richter Scale earthquake that occurred southeast of Norcia, Italy, Wednesday that has killed nearly 300 people.

Colorado, too, has an earthquake risk, and experienced six small quakes this week. None had an impact remotely similar to the Italian quake, and no damage or fatalities were recorded.

A magnitude 2.6 earthquake was recorded Monday night at 9:13 p.m. near Greeley.

Tuesday morning shortly before 11:00, a quake measuring 3.9 was recorded southwest of Trinidad on the Colorado-New Mexico border.

A 2.9 quake occurred at 1:12 a.m. southwest of Pueblo Wednesday.

Three earthquakes occurred in Weld County Thursday. The first, measuring 1.5, occurred southeast of Eaton at 2:25 a.m. Two minutes later, a 2.5 quake occurred northeast of Greeley. The final quake in the group occurred at 1:37 p.m. and was again located southeast of Eaton.

Earlier in the month, an earthquake was recorded near the Great Plains Reservoirs in south central Kiowa County. The 2.5 magnitude quake occurred August 6 at 5:19 a.m.

So far this year, 20 earthquakes measuring 1.5 or greater have occurred in Colorado, including two caused by rock falls near Paonia. Most of the quakes have occurred in Las Animas County, followed by Weld County. The strongest, a 4.0, was recorded in early February near where Tuesday’s 3.9 temblor occurred.

Since 2001, Colorado has experience three magnitude 4.5 or greater earthquakes. The strongest, at 5.3, occurred just over five years ago on August 23, 2011, near Trinidad. It triggered rock slides and damaged 46 structures in the area. Two residences were condemned.