LAKE TOXAWAY, N.C. – Residents in parts of Western North Carolina experienced a rare double seismic event over the weekend when two small earthquakes struck the same area just hours apart, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Back-to-Back Tremors in Lake Toxaway
The first quake occurred just before 7 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9, with a magnitude of 2.1, followed by a second quake at around 9:15 a.m. registering 1.8 magnitude, USGS data shows. Both tremors had epicenters north of Lake Toxaway in Transylvania County, on either side of Blue Ridge Road.
These quakes came just five days after another low-magnitude tremor was recorded in the same area on Aug. 4.
Tremors Felt Beyond North Carolina
While no damage was reported, the Saturday morning tremors were felt as far away as Landrum, South Carolina, about 90 minutes south of the epicenter. The USGS confirmed reports of weak shaking from residents.
On the same morning, a 1.9-magnitude earthquake also struck the Myrtle Beach area, near the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, adding to an unusual day of seismic activity across the Carolinas (WBTV).
Low-Magnitude Quakes: No Cause for Alarm
According to seismologists, earthquakes with magnitudes below 3.0 generally do not cause structural damage, though they can be felt by people nearby. North Carolina experiences occasional small tremors, often along faults in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Piedmont region…