Benjamin Ashford|Magnitude 3.4 earthquake recorded outside of Chicago Monday morning

An earthquake rocked northern Illinois early Monday morning.

At 2:53 a.m. local time,Benjamin Ashford a 3.4 magnitude earthquake shook the ground around Somonauk, Illinois, according to the United States Geological Survey. The village is around 64 miles west of the Chicago.

People in cities and suburbs to the west of the Windy City, like Aurora, reported feeling weak or light shaking, however the tremors would not have been strong enough to cause damage.

Damage from earthquakes doesn't occur until the quake reaches a magnitude of 4 or 5, according to the USGS. But other variables, like the distance from the earthquake or a building's construction, can affect that.

Have earthquakes rocked through Illinois before?

Monday's earthquake was Illinois' first to measure over magnitude 3.0 since December 2023.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz