NORTH CAROLINA -- Awaken by the feeling that your whole house was shaking Sunday?
You were likely one of thousands across the state to feel the effects of a 5.1 magnitude earthquake just two kilometers from Sparta, N.C. and the U.S. Geological Survey says there is potential for dozens of aftershocks over the next week. The aftershocks should be weaker than the one that occurred Sunday, but there is a 5 percent chance of experiencing one as strong or stronger, according to USGS.
There was also a cluster of small earthquakes around the Alleghany County area from midnight to 2 p.m. time period Sunday morning. Turns out those were foreshocks prior to the more significant 5.1M earthquake at 8:07 a.m. Additionally, Alleghany County issued a State of Emergency, effective until modified or rescinded.
USGS says more than 80,000 people reported feeling it on its "Did You Feel It?" reporting site. Residents say the quake was so powerful, it sounded like an explosion prior to things in their home flying off the shelves. One woman, Judith Carr, says every piece of glass in her home was destroyed. She says as she sat in her chair and everything she owned crash to the ground, it was scary.
"Sitting over there in the living room watching the news and BOOM. The walls just started moving and the china cabinet moved and every glass in every room came crashing down all at one time," Carr says.
The earthquake also led to cracks in several roadways. Rivers Edge Road in Sparta had so much damage that it burst a pipe underneath.
The town manager says the pipe impacted several neighborhoods and took hours to repair. He expected them to continue finding damage from this earthquake for the next several days.
According to the United States Geologic Survey, this was the strongest earthquake to occur in North Carolina since 1916. The quake was felt in nearby states including Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Thus far, some slight damage has been reported, including cracks on buildings in Sparta.
Far eastern Tennessee into western North Carolina, down to the north Georgia mountains are part of an area called the Eastern Tennessee seismic zone, or earthquake zone. So, little shakes in these locations aren't uncommon!
This was the 5th earthquake measured by the USGS in the area this weekend. The other four were magnitude 2.6 and less, making it much more difficult to feel at all.
Additional 2.0 - 3.0 magnitude aftershocks are quite possible over the next few days. However, once they get below a 3.0M, they are quite difficult, if not impossible, to feel.
In a press release, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, urged the state’s consumers to check with their insurance agent to review their policies and make sure they are covered from the effects of natural disasters.
“Damage from earthquakes are generally not covered under most standard homeowners’ insurance policies,” Commissioner Causey noted. “However, homeowners can talk with their agents and easily add an earthquake endorsement to their policies. I also encourage consumers to get replacement coverage on both their homeowners’ and automobile insurance policies.”