Small earthquake reported between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore

A rare magnitude 2.5 earthquake struck between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, causing an explosion-like sensation that was felt across parts of Maryland, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The earthquake occurred at 5:17 p.m. local time on Monday at a shallow depth of about 5 miles, the USGS reported. Its epicenter was located in the city of Columbia in Howard County, roughly 17 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., and 13 miles southwest of Baltimore.

Residents reported hearing a loud boom and feeling brief shaking. “Was there an explosion in Howard County, Maryland? I felt the ground rumble in Columbia,” one resident, Jimmy Shea, wrote on social media.

Another resident said, “It felt like a big boom, like something very large was dropped nearby. We did not feel any shaking in our house.”

The Howard County Police Department said there were no reports of damage. Howard County Fire and EMS also said no significant damage had been reported.

Nearly 1,000 people submitted “Did You Feel It?” reports to the USGS website within hours of the quake, most of them from Columbia and nearby communities, including Ellicott City, Laurel, and Elkridge.

According to the USGS, small earthquakes occasionally occur in the Washington–Baltimore urban corridor, typically about once per decade.