Shortly after 8 p.m. Monday, March 23, people around Macon County heard a loud rumble then a boom. Others felt their houses shake; dogs started barking.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 2.7 magnitude earthquake was detected about 10 km (6.2 miles) southwest of Dillsboro. It was measured at .1 km deep. The epicenter was west of U.S. 441 and south of U.S. 74 near the Jackson-Macon county line.
Amy Medlock posted on The Franklin Press Facebook page that she lives in the area near the epicenter. “It definitely felt like it was right under us coming up,” she stated.
Macon County 911 Communications Supervisor Todd Seagle said they received several calls from people reporting the event, but none had any damage.
On the USGS’s “Did You Feel It” reporting page, there were 245 reports from Franklin and the same number from Sylva. Reports also came in from Cullowhee (138), Whittier (61), and Andrews, Cashiers, Topton, Glenville and Cherokee. On the Franklin Press Facebook page people in Brendletown, Cullasaja, Ellijay, Holly Springs, Cowee and Otto said they heard or felt the tremor. The quake was ranked as a weak III on the intensity scale, which ranges up to IX (10).
The rumble sounded like thunder, but it was a clear night with no storms in the area. A few hours later some people were reporting hearing a second rumble. Seagle said the second earthquake was at 11:16 p.m.