Virginia Struck By 3.2 Magnitude Earthquake: USGS

The US Geological Survey (USGS) has reported that an earthquake of magnitude 3.2 on the Richter scale has hit the area of Powhatan, Virginia. According to MyFox8, the epicenter of the Virginia earthquake is 8 miles southwest of Powhatan, which is about 30 miles west of Richmond. The quake happened at 9:47 pm local time on Wednesday.

Reports of people from the areas of Hanover, Chesterfield, Powhatan, Louisa, and Henrico having felt the tremors are coming in as well, as per WTVR. The USGS has also revealed that they received as any as 887 intensity reports from the general public that felt the Virginia earthquake. This was as of 10:25 pm local time.

The latest Virginia earthquake while has occurred nearly three years after the region was hit by a much larger earthquake, measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale. The USGS confirms that the 2011 Virginia Earthquake was the largest earthquake recorded in the region. The 2011 Virginia earthquake was centered in Louisa County, 38 miles northwest of Richmond. That quake, being much larger in intensity, was felt by a dozen of other states as well. The USGS adds that a magnitude 5.5 eastern US earthquake can be felt as far as 500 km (300 mi) from where it occurred, and could cause damage as far away as 40 km (25 mi) away from its epicenter.

No casualties are reported after the latest earthquake in Virginia.

The United States has been hit by a string of low intensity earthquakes since the beginning of 2014, raising concerns about the possibility of a much larger quake in the near future.

[Images via Wikimedia Commons, USGS]