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Earthquakes Felt in Western N.C.

By Zack Hill

If you think you’ve felt the ground shaking a bit recently but aren’t quite sure, you’re actually standing on pretty firm ground as seven earthquakes have roiled western N.C. over the last two weeks, according to the United States Geographical Survey.

On Tuesday, a 2.5-magnitude earthquake centered around West Canton, near Asheville, caused vibrations strong enough to be felt by most people.

And on Sunday, the USGS fielded over 700 phone calls informing them of the ground shaking. The day’s first jolt registered 3.2 on the Richter scale with a weaker 2.2-magnitude later in the day.

The USGS said that both, as well as the rest of the recent quakes, are likely aftershocks from a 2.6-magnitude earthquake on May 23 that was also centered near West Canton.

The quakes, though centered and noticed mostly in western N.C., have been felt as far away as Connecticut. The USGS also said there could be more quakes to come.

Earthquakes in the High Country are not a new thing. Although there are no major fault lines in western N.C., many quakes have been felt throughout the region including Boone and surrounding areas over the years.

No injuries or damage have been reported from this round of shaking.