Clintonville Residents Shaken Once Again By Booms

Residents were shaken by “booms” again in a Wisconsin city where a small earthquake was recorded last week.

Clintonville police said they received 65 calls Tuesday night between 10:35 and 11:40. City Administrator Lisa Kuss said residents reported some of the loudest booms yet. The reports had decreased since a flurry of calls early last week.

Residents said they just want some answers.

“The house started shaking kind of like it was a big thunderstorm,” said resident Riana Mefferd.

“The ground rumbles and you hear this noise — and you don’t know what it is,” said resident Mary Friedich.

The city said it has ruled out everything after searching the sewers, water mains and investigating construction work. City leaders said the only explanation is some sort of seismic activity.

The U.S. Geological Survey said a 1.5-magnitude earthquake struck March 20 in Clintonville.

Geophysicist John Bellini said he looked at the nearby seismometers and was unable to detect anything Tuesday night. He said officials are considering putting a seismometer in Clintonville to get a better reading of potential activity.

He said it’s likely a swarm of small earthquakes, which happen several times a year across the country.

But many residents, such as Mefferd, said an earthquake just doesn’t make sense, based on the booming sound and the fact that it’s only happening at night.

“I’ve heard (theories of) aliens, meth lab, giant crocodiles underneath the earth coming up. There are strange things that people are saying,” Mefferd said.

The city said it has filed an official request with the USGS asking the agency to come to Clintonville with equipment to monitor what is believed to be seismic activity.