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4.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Maine; Felt In Boston

Update at 8:30 p.m.: The U.S. Geological Survey has revised the earthquake's strength to 4.0 magnitude, from 4.6 magnitude.

Original post:

An earthquake in southern Maine has rattled nearby New England states.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter of the 4.6-magnitude quake was about 4 miles west of Hollis Center, Maine, and about 3 miles deep. It hit at 7:12 p.m. Tuesday.

The quake was felt in eastern Massachusetts — including here in Boston — Vermont, New Hampshire and as far south as Rhode Island and Connecticut.

"This is definitely high or significantly higher than the typical quakes that we normally get to see in the eastern portion of the U.S.," said USGS geophysicist Rafael Abreu.

There have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

"All of a sudden my chairs are bouncing up and down," described Jay Periale, of East Arlington, to WBUR. "And I noticed the rest of the apartment started bouncing. Probably lasted, oh, six, seven seconds."

The USGS says damaging earthquakes strike New England every few decades, and smaller earthquakes usually hit twice a year.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom

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