Northwest Yellowstone area sees earthquake swarm
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A swarm of earthquakes in the northwestern part of Yellowstone National Park this week continued into Friday and was punctuated with a magnitude 4.4 quake Thursday evening.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake occurred at 6:48 p.m., in a backcountry area of Yellowstone National Park, about 8 miles (12.8 kilometers) northeast of West Yellowstone, Montana. The swarm of about 30 earthquakes of magnitude 2 and larger began Monday.
The West Yellowstone Police Department says the earthquake was felt in the town that borders the park, but there were no reports of damage.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The University of Utah Seismograph Stations said the quake was part of "an energetic sequence" of about 30 earthquakes magnitude 2 and larger in the area. Thursday's quake was the largest to occur in Yellowstone since a 4.8 magnitude quake in March 2014.
Earthquakes occur frequently in and around Yellowstone.
In 1959, the Hebgen Lake earthquake near Yellowstone in Montana killed 28 people.