The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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August 27, 2010

Raleigh feels shake of two early morning earthquakes

By Andrea Lannom Register-Herald Reporter

BECKLEY — Raleigh County experienced two minor earthquakes early Thursday, officials said. The epicenter was near Crab Orchard and the quakes occurred within two minutes of each other.

The first and largest, registering a 2.4 magnitude, occurred at 12:22 a.m., said John Bellini, geophysicist for the U.S. Geological Survey.

The second one came two minutes later, registering a 2.2 magnitude, Bellini added.

Bellini said he first thought a mine blast near that area could have been mistaken for two small earthquakes, but after checking data, he said the earthquakes were the real deal. 

Although the epicenter was near Crab Orchard, Bellini said, theoretically, people could have felt a small “bump” as far as 10 to 15 miles away.

“It wasn’t anything that would rattle the house or anything,” he said. “It actually wouldn’t be noticeable for a lot of people. For example, if someone was asleep, they might have felt a small bump and then went back to sleep.”

Many residents from around the area said they didn’t feel the quakes and were surprised to hear it had happened so close to home.

“I’m so surprised,” Patty Darnell of Coal City said. “I never thought that kind of thing would happen around here.”

Mia Workman of Crab Orchard was just as shocked.

“Just the thought that it happened right here sends chills down my spine,” she said. “I didn’t feel anything, but then again, I’m a heavy sleeper.”

These earthquakes were not the only ones in the state this summer. On Aug. 17, the U.S. Geological Survey said a 2.5 magnitude earthquake occurred near Flatwoods, and on July 26, two small earthquakes registering a 2.4 and 2.2 rattled Braxton County.

Bellini says earthquakes in West Virginia are not uncommon.

“It’s not surprising to see small earthquakes in mountainous areas and West Virginia does get a few small earthquakes here and there,” he said. “The difference now is that we have more equipment to better detect them.”

— E-mail: alannom@register-herald.com

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