earthquake chicago

Rare earthquake rattles northern Ill.; no damage

A small pre-dawn earthquake has hit northern Illinois, startling residents as far away as Michigan and the Iowa, but no damage or injuries were immediately reported.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the 3.8-magnitude earthquake hit about 45 miles northwest of Chicago at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Scientists say the epicenter was southwest of the village of Gilberts in Kane County.

The USGS initially reported the magnitude as 4.3 but later downgraded it. USGS geophysicist Amy Vaughan says such quakes are rare in northern Illinois.

She says residents in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan also reported feeling the quake.

In Kane County, sheriff's dispatchers were overwhelmed with calls, and several residential and business alarms were triggered. But spokesman Lt. Pat Gengler says no injuries or damage have been reported.