RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Out of 20 North Carolina earthquakes registered in 2025 so far, a vast majority were in the same county, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Lake Toxaway area of Transylvania County has been the hot spot of the state, with 14 earthquakes ranging from magnitude 1.3 to 2.4 that happened between May 30 and Oct. 18.
Marion, N.C. saw the two most recent earthquakes, just over five hours apart on Friday. The first registered at 1:20 a.m. as a 2.2 and the second was a 2.1 at 6:35 a.m.
The largest magnitude earthquake of the year was a 2.7 on August 14 in Mill Spring. Interestingly, this was also the only earthquake of the year to be recorded in Polk County.
If you live in these areas and didn’t feel a thing, that’s quite normal. According to the USGS, the intensity of magnitude 1 earthquakes is not felt, while magnitude 2 is typically felt by a few people. It’s not until you reach a 3 that more people feel it and experience vibrations similar to the passing of a truck. The intensity scale reaches up to 10.
Other counties to experience earthquakes this year in North Carolina were Union, Mitchell, Buncombe, and McDowell. The first one of the year was detected as a 2.0 magnitude near Marshville around 2 a.m. on March 14. Another 8 in a row from May-August were in Transylvania County before the 2.7 in Mill Spring.
Following the highest intensity quake of the year so far, another two registered in the Lake Toxaway area before a 1.8 magnitude hit on Sept. 11 in Red Hill, in Mitchell County.
Lake Toxaway saw more activity with three consecutive quakes between Sept. 17-24. Just two weeks later, another was detected in Weaverville, a 2.1 magnitude on Oct. 11. Another earthquake, the latest to hit Lake Toxaway, took place a week later, on Oct. 18 at a 1.7 magnitude.
Out of the 20 earthquakes in the state, 17 have been in the second half of the year.
Ashley Anderson
Source link