Lake In The Hills local earthquake

A 2.9 magnitude earthquake hit the northwest suburban town of Lake in the Hills, Ill., at about 6:08 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, 2015, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. USGS geophysicist Jana Pursley confirmed to WGN that the event was an earthquake, with its epicenter near Lake in the Hills. That’s about 41.6 miles northwest of Chicago’s Loop.

Several people in the region called WGN earlier Wednesday to report feeling their houses shaking. Police have not reported any serious injuries or damage to property.

A 2.9-magnitude earthquake hit Lake in the Hills shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

An earthquake of this magnitude can happen just about anywhere on the earth's crust, even places that don't have a history of earthquakes, said Rafael Abreu, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Center in Golden, Colorado.

Wednesday's earthquake was a very minor one with weak to light shaking and that typically results in no damage, the report said.

The impact could be felt in Crystal Lake, Algonquin and Huntley, according to submissions to the U.S. Geological Survey.

A November 2013 earthquake hit the Chicago suburbs – that time on the southwest side – following a quarry blast in McCook. No reports of damage or injuries resulted.

The city of McHenry was the epicenter of a 2.4-magnitude earthquake in January 2012.

One of the largest earthquakes to hit Illinois occurred in April 2008 when a 5.4-magnitude earthquake hit southern Illinois causing minor structural damage. The impact was felt through the Midwest and as far away as Georgia, Nebraska and southern Ontario.