The Watchers by Teo Blašković on August 9, 2020
A very shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.1 hit Sparta, North Carolina, U.S at 12:07 UTC (08:07 LT) on August 9, 2020, causing widespread damage. The agency is reporting a depth of 3.7 km (2.3 miles). This is the strongest earthquake to hit North Carolina since M5.2 in 1916.
The epicenter was located 4.1 km (2.6 miles) SE of Sparta (population 1 726), 43.5 km (27 miles) W of Mount Airy (population 10 354), and 59.5 km (37 miles) ENE of Boone (population 18 156), North Carolina.
1 000 people are estimated to have felt very strong shaking, 5 000 strong, 20 000 moderate, and 568 000 light.
More then 45 000 people submitted their "Did You Feel It" reports to the USGS in the first few hours.
"The quake occurred as a result of oblique-reverse faulting in the upper crust of the North American plate," the USGS said.
Focal mechanism solutions for the event indicate rupture occurred on a moderately dipping fault either striking to the northwest or south.
This earthquake occurred in the interior of the North American plate -- intraplate earthquake. These are generally less common than interplate earthquakes that happen near tectonic plate boundaries.
More:
https://watchers.news/2020/08/09/sparta-north-carolina-earthquake-august-2020/
