Earthquake rattles North Carolina no damage

SPARTA, N.C. (AP) — Officials say an earthquake shook much of North Carolina early Sunday, rattling homes, buildings and residents.

The National Weather Service in Greenville said the 5.1-magnitude temblor struck Sparta at 8:07 a.m., following a much smaller quake several hours earlier.

It was the largest earthquake to hit the state since 1916, when a magnitude 5.5 quake occurred near Skyland, the weather service said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, but some minor damage to buildings in Sparta was reported. 

The U.S. Geological Service said the quake’s epicenter was about 2.5 miles (four kilometers) southeast of Sparta, just south of the Virginia-North Carolina border. The quake was felt in nearby states including Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

There have been “3 other reports of an earthquake” in Moore, Randolph, and Guilford counties since then, according to the National Weather Service of Raleigh.

“I just felt weak standing,” said Carthage Dollar General Manager Matthew Craven. I didn’t feel the floor move as it’s concrete but heard wine bottles rattle. Also, I noticed hanging signs swing.”

A Sandhills Sentinel reader said, “I felt it in Vass. I was laying in bed and my bed was moving, it felt like someone was jumping on my bed. I looked and there was no one there. It scared me. Then I seen it on the news.”

Sandhills Sentinel readers from Foxfire, Southern Pines, Raeford, and Pembroke reported they felt the earthquake.

This article was written with the help of The Associated Press.

Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

 

Photo via National Weather Service of Raleigh. 

 

 

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