Six small earthquakes reported in a week in North Carolina county, geologists say

Bailey Aldridge
·2 min read

Another small earthquake shook North Carolina near Winston-Salem early on Saturday, Nov. 27, geologists said.

The 1.9 magnitude quake hit at about 7:55 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter was located about 3 miles southwest of Winston-Salem, which is in Forsyth County and about 100 miles west of Raleigh.

The USGS said it was about 1.2 miles deep.

Dozens of people had reported feeling the quake to the USGS as of the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 28. Those who felt it can report it on the USGS website.

The earthquake is one of several that have been reported in Forsyth County since Sunday, Nov. 21.

A 2.4 magnitude quake was reported on Nov. 21 about 3 miles south-southwest of Winston-Salem, according to the USGS. Two other quakes — a 2.3 magnitude and a 2.0 magnitude — were reported near Winston-Salem around 4 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24.

Also on Nov. 24, a 1.7 magnitude quake and a 1.5 magnitude quake were reported near Clemmons, North Carolina, which is about 113 miles west of Raleigh.

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 estimated to be reported each year.

North Carolina has “its share of earthquakes,” the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality said. 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 that was reported near Skyland in the Asheville area in 1916.

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