2.4 magnitude earthquake rattles North Carolina near Winston-Salem, geologists say
A small earthquake rattled North Carolina near Winston-Salem on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 21.
The 2.4 magnitude quake hit just before 9 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter was located about 3 miles south-southwest of Winston-Salem, which is in Forsyth County, about 100 miles west of Raleigh.
The USGS said it was roughly 1.2 miles deep.
More than 50 people had reported feeling the quake to the USGS as of about 11 a.m. on Nov. 21. Those who felt it can report it on the USGS website.
Earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.5 or less are “usually not felt” but can still be recorded by a seismograph, according to Michigan Tech. Millions of them are reported each year.
North Carolina has “its share of earthquakes,” according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. But “large, damaging seismic events” are not common in the state.
In August 2020, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded in North Carolina near Sparta. It was the second-strongest quake recorded in the state since 1900, according to the National Weather Service. The strongest was a 5.2 magnitude quake reported near Skyland in the Asheville area in 1916.
This story was originally published November 21, 2021 at 11:18 AM with the headline "2.4 magnitude earthquake rattles North Carolina near Winston-Salem, geologists say."
