On Monday, a number of residents reported feeling tremors from an earthquake that occurred in east Tennessee nearly 200 miles away.
According to the United States Geological Survey a 3.8 magnitude quake hit at 2:12 p.m. and was centered east of Fincastle, Tenn., north of Knoxville.
About 30 local residents reported on the Progress Facebook page that they experienced “shaking” in their homes in the Brasstown, Hayesville, Matheson Cove and Young Harris areas, among others.
“The couch was shaking,” said Peggy Long, who lives on Matheson Cove.
A resident in Cherokee County also reported feeling the quake. “I felt the tremors pretty strong in Andrews,” said Tasha Passmore.
Clay County Emergency Management Director Ricky Lancaster confirmed he received information about the earthquake in Lancaster.
“My son called and said he felt the shaking. I started doing research and sure enough there was one,” said Lancaster.
Rhonda Curtis confirmed tremors on Town Mountain Road in Hayesville. “It was just a little rattle of windows, doors and glasses. Nothing like in California, but still enough to get your attention.”
Considered fairly small, no damages have been reported as a result of the quake that the USGS said had a depth of about 22 miles.
USGS says most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains has infrequent earthquakes.
According to the Western North Carolina Vitality Index, North Carolina has experienced the effects of earthquakes throughout its history, although large and damaging earthquakes are rare, with most having a magnitude of less than 3.0. Their research shows the level of seismic activity is due to North Carolina’s presence upon a passive, not active, continental margin — Unlike the West Coast regions which experience frequent earthquakes along known and active fault zones.
All of the known faults exposed on the surface in North Carolina are ancient and remain inactive. Most of the earthquakes here are small, random, scattered movements of the earth’s crust, according to the Index.
The site goes on to explain that although much less active than the West Coast, there are exceptions in and around North Carolina where increased seismicity has been recorded. One example is the cluster of epicenters stretching from Tennessee through the edge of western North Carolina and into northern Georgia and Alabama, called the Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone. Research is underway to more accurately understand the seismic potential in this region.
Damaging Earthquakes Centered in western North Carolina:
• Wilkes County Earthquake: Aug. 31, 1861. Magnitude 5.1. The epicenter of this earthquake was near Wilkesboro, where intense shaking caused bricks to fall from chimneys. The shock was felt from Washington, D.C., to Charleston, South Carolina, and Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Skyland Earthquake: Feb. 21, 1916. Magnitude 5.5. Damage occurred in Skyland, Waynesville, Tryon, and Forest City. Chimney tops were dislodged, and many windowpanes were broken. The quake was felt for over 200,000 square miles, including in the Carolinas, Alabama, Kentucky, and West Virginia. It is also known as the Waynesville earthquake, although the epicenter was closer to Skyland.
• Mitchell County Earthquake: July 8, 1926. Magnitude 5.2. Centered in southern Mitchell County, this sharp local earthquake toppled one chimney and cracked several others. Other damage included cracked house foundations, dislodged foundations, broken water pipes, and fallen glassware from shelves. The area of significant damage was about 0.5 miles long and 900 feet wide, but it was felt over an area of about 40,000 square miles.
To learn more about earthquake activity visit: www.wncvitalityindex.org/geology/faults-and-earthquakes.