An overnight earthquake in North Carolina near the state line with South Carolina and Georgia struck but it was too weak to create any damage or injuries. According to USGS, at 19 minutes after midnight, a relatively weak magnitude 2.1 earthquake struck with experts with the University of Memphis Center for Earthquake Research and Information reviewing and confirming the quake details. The epicenter of the earthquake, which was reported to strike near the surface, was located near Lake Toxaway which is about half way between Greenville, South Carolina and Knoxville, Tennessee; it is also located half-way between Asheville, North Carolina and Gainesville, Georgia.
According to USGS, earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or less are rarely felt or heard by people, but once they exceed 2.0 , more and more people can feel them. While damage is possible with magnitude 3.0 events or greater, significant damage and casualties usually don’t occur until the magnitude of a seismic event rises to a 5.5 or greater rated event.
Earthquakes are not common in North Carolina, but they do occur, with most being small and not causing damage. While the state isn’t known for frequent or strong seismic activity, occasional tremors can be felt, and some larger earthquakes have been recorded in the past. While the mountains and foothills of western North Carolina are not located along an active tectonic plate boundary, the region still has minor earthquakes linked to old fault lines along the Appalachian Mountains.
