SPARTA, N.C. — Tremors shook Sparta again Monday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. There have now been five aftershocks since Sunday's 5.1 magnitude earthquake rattled Alleghany County.
Two tremors happened Sunday morning a few hours after the 5.1 magnitude quake. The USGS detected three additional tremors early Monday morning. All five of the tremors were felt near the 5.1 quake's epicenter.
Sunday
- 11:45 a.m. - 1.8 magnitude
- 11:58 a.m. - 1.7 magnitude
Monday
- 2:05 a.m. - 2.0 magnitude
- 4:43 a.m. - 2.2 magnitude
- 7:10 a.m. - 2.2 magnitude
The USGS projected a 34% chance of an aftershock registering at 3 or higher on the Richter scale would take place in the next week.
"It is most likely that as few as 0 or as many as 6 such earthquakes may occur in the case that the sequence is re-invigorated by a larger aftershock," the USGS said.
Most of these will most likely be small tremors like the aftershocks this morning, which were more subtle and hardly felt, the USGS projected.
Five tremors also preceded the 5.1 magnitude quake at 8:05 a.m. on Sunday, according to the USGS.
Sunday's earthquake left more than 100 buildings damaged in Alleghany County, but no injuries have been reported, according to officials. Alleghany County Sheriff Bryan Maines said he spoke with federal officials at The White House about the disaster. The county has since declared a state of emergency.
A 5.1 earthquake is very strong for this area. According to the USGS database, this is the strongest earthquake to hit North Carolina in more than 100 years. That dates back to the 1916 5.2 quake near Skyland, NC close to Asheville.
You may remember a large earthquake back in 2011. That was a 5.8 that hit near Richmond, VA and was felt up and down the East Coast, including the Triad.
