2009.05.16
Earthquake rattles Roanoke Valley
Something besides thunder rattled things in Cave Spring this morning. I remember waking up and stuff was rattling, and I wondered if it was a gust of wind, but it seemed like stuff inside the room was rattling too. It was a magnitude-3.0 earthquake.
It's not really weather, but the National Weather Service did put out a public information statement about it early this morning (the magnitude has since been upgraded slightly):
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
457 AM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009
...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...
AT 408 AM EST...THE NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE CENTER IN BOULDER DETECTED
AN EARTHQUAKE 4 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF ROANOKE. THE EARTHQUAKE
MEASURED 2.6 ON THE RICHTER SCALE. SO FAR...REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE
QUAKE WAS FELT IN THE ROANOKE...VINTON...AND SALEM AREAS.
INFORMATION RELEASED IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY.
UPDATES...INCLUDING RICHTER SCALE MAGNITUDE...WILL BE PROVIDED AS
MORE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE FROM THE NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE
CENTER IN BOULDER COLORADO.
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My husband and I both felt it here in Salem (We live on Apperson). I thought it was a good clap of thunder, but alas, it was dry as a bone outside when my husband went out and checked. Very interesting.
Comment by Misty — May 16, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
Note: There is a fault line that runs through Dixie Caverns. You can actually see it in the roof.
Comment by Henry — May 16, 2009 @ 4:06 pm
I woke up with the bed shaking but my husband also heard a loud boom and it seems others heard it too. What made the noise? We live on Braeburn Drive right down from Lewis Gale.
Comment by Whitney — May 16, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
Other reports here & ff
Comment by Ed H — May 16, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Does anyone remember the earthquake in Roanoke in the fall of 1969? It would be interesting to know if it was about the same intensity.
Comment by Marjie — May 16, 2009 @ 10:19 pm