Two minor earthquakes were recorded in Ohio and Pennsylvania over the weekend, with one centered in the Valley and another near the Ohio-Kentucky border.

The earthquake in Mercer County occurred early Saturday at 2:37 a.m. It registered a magnitude of 1.7. Earthquakes under a magnitude of 2.0 are usually not felt by people and are often only recorded by sensitive equipment.

The center of the quake, known as the epicenter, was in Pymatuning Township near the intersection of Colt Road and Saranac Drive. This location places the event near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, about 20 miles northeast of Niles. The earthquake happened about 6 miles below the surface.

A slightly stronger event followed early Sunday at 12:44 a.m., near the border with Kentucky. This earthquake registered a magnitude of 2.5. This size is still considered very small, but some people near the area may have felt a slight shake. Its epicenter was near Flemingsburg, Kentucky, about 46.6 miles southwest of Portsmouth, Ohio. Like the Trumbull County area quake, this one also occurred about 6 miles deep.

Ohio is not on the edge of major land plates like California, so the state does not experience the large, powerful earthquakes seen on the West Coast. However, small to moderate quakes can and do happen in the region.

The US Geological Survey, which tracks these events, continues to monitor the activity. These minor tremors serve as a reminder that seismic activity, though infrequent and typically slight, is part of the geology of the Buckeye State.