North Carolina was hit by a magnitude 5.1 earthquake


A 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook North Carolina early Sunday with the most powerful tremors to hit the state in more than 100 years.

The quake struck about 8:07 a.m. with the epicenter about 2.5 miles southeast of Sparta, just south of the Virginia-North Carolina border, according to the U.S. Geological Service.

Tremors were reported throughout the entire Tar Heel State, as well as near Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

It marked the strongest to shake the state since 1916, when a magnitude 5.5 earthquake shook Skyland, according to the National Weather Service in Greenville.

No immediate reports of damage or injuries followed the quake, as the affected region has structures “that are resistant to earthquake shaking, although fragile structures exist,” the geological service said.

But images popping up on social media show buildings with cracked walls and shops with products around the floor.

The quake affected a smaller one in the state hours earlier, coming days after Tropical Storm brought Isaiah’s dangerous winds to the region.

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