You may have felt a slight rumble Thursday morning if you were in Mitchell County. At 11:07 am Thursday, July 9th there was a 2.0 magnitude earthquake measured in the Grassy Creek area of the county. The worst earthquake in Mitchell County history was on July 8, 1926. Magnitude 5.2. centered in southern Mitchell County, this sharp local earthquake toppled one chimney and cracked several others. Other damage included cracked house foundations, dislodged foundations, broken water pipes, and fallen glassware from shelves. The area of significant damage was about 0.5 miles long and 900 feet wide, but it was felt over an area of about 40,000 square miles.
The last recorded earthquakes in our area was a 2.7 magnitude about 8 p.m. Sunday, June 10th, 2018 between Burnsville and Spruce Pine. Avery County registered small earthquakes in June, July and November of 2018. Most earthquakes occur unnoticed and are a normal process that allows the earth to ease built-up geological strain.
