A series of increasingly powerful quakes are now rattling a small area of North Carolina. The rumbling started on May 23rd when a 2.8 magnitude earthquake struck the small town of Canton, NC (about 100 miles west of Charlotte).
Just 2 days later, the same town was hit with 3 more quakes (2.2, 2.4, and 1.8 magnitudes), and yesterday, 2 more struck, including a 3.2 magnitude earthquake that was felt as far away as Charlotte and Winston Salem, according to the USGS.
There have only been 4 earthquakes over a 3 magnitude in the NC mountains since 2000.
5 earthquakes in less than 2 weeks, all in the same area north of Canton. The strongest came 6 am Sunday, magnitude 3.2. It is one of only 4 earthquakes over M3 in WNC since 2000. The others: 2005 near Hot Springs, 2006 near Maggie Valley, 2009 near the TN line west of Murphy. pic.twitter.com/ab5YCpse2V
— Holly Kays (@HollyKaysWrites) June 5, 2023
Earthquakes have been increasing in frequency around the Charlotte region over the past few years. Last year, we experienced the largest earthquake in over 100 years when a 5.1 magnitude quake hit Sparta, NC, and since then, dozens of aftershocks have continued to rattle our state.
According to USGS.gov, “Moderately damaging earthquakes strike the inland Carolinas every few decades, and smaller earthquakes are felt about once each year or two.”
Have you felt any of the Canton quakes?
