Virginia rocked by 3.0 earthquake causing reports of violent shaking

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Virginia rocked by 3.0 earthquake causing reports of violent shaking

Daily Mail
By ELLYN LAPOINTE
6 May 2025

A magnitude 3.0 earthquake struck Virginia today, with the epicenter located about five miles south of the town of Dillwyn in Buckingham County.

The tremblor hit just after 1pm ET, and more than 150 people across Virginia and other nearby states — such as North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Maryland — reported feeling shaking up to intensity level four, according to the US Geological Survey.

The USGS describes this level of shaking as 'moderate' tremors that are 'felt indoors by many, outdoors by few during the day.' At night, it may be strong enough to wake some people up, and it can break dishes, rattle doors and rock parked cars.

As of 3:20pm ET, no damages or injuries have been reported.

It is rare for earthquakes to strike Virginia, as this East Coast state is seated in the middle of the North American tectonic plate — far from its seismically active edges.

But this isn't the first time it's happened. A similarly-sized magnitude 2.8 quake hit Richmond, Virginia in January, with more than 1,000 people reporting shaking.

And in 2011, a magnitude 5.8 quake struck this same area, causing 'severe' shaking, that damaged the Washington Monument in DC.

Even though Virginia sits in the middle of the North American plate, there are faults running through this state. When they produce quakes, they do so at much greater depths than those that occur on the West Coast.

(more)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14684737/Virginia-rocked-3-0-earthquake-shaking.html

[DB]

Whatever...

A 3.0 isn't "violent shaking" period.

[Wingnut]

Someone lost a couch pillow?  The horror

[Sighlass]

In 4-28-2003 we had a 4.9 earthquake here in Alabama.  Centered just a few miles from my house. Largest earthquake in Alabama modern history, and it was pretty scary. All the alarms went off in town, I thought a tree had hit the house, it cracked my chimney pretty bad. Most all the brick homes in the area received some crackage.

I can't fathom what a 7.0 earthquake would do to this area.

[MeganC]

I can't fathom what a 7.0 earthquake would do to this area.

When I was a toddler the Northridge quake hit and we were near the epicenter. Our chimney fell into the living room and it was like the house exploded. I still remember the smell of the dust. After that my folks moved us to Corona.

[Sighlass]

When I was a toddler the Northridge quake hit and we were near the epicenter. Our chimney fell into the living room and it was like the house exploded. I still remember the smell of the dust. After that my folks moved us to Corona.

Yeah, I never want to experience an earthquake that large.