RICHMOND —
Residents in Madison County and throughout eastern and central Kentucky got a lunchtime scare when an earthquake rattled through the area.
The 4.3-magnitude earthquake happened at 12:08 p.m. Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Service. The epicenter was about 8 miles west of Whitesburg.
Madison County Emergency Management Agency Director Carl Richards said there were no reports of damage or calls for assistance in the county following the temblor. Some people did call 911 wondering what was happening, he added.
Richards noted that people who were inside noticed the shaking more than those who were outside, like himself, when the earthquake struck. Also, people in the southern end of the county reported feeling the earthquake’s affects more.
“I not only felt the whole house shake but also heard a ‘roar’ of some sort ... my dishes were rattling, light fixtures were shaking, and floors and walls were vibrating,” reported Dawn Agee Truett, of Berea, on the Register’s Facebook page shortly after the quake. “... Definitely a very strange feeling!”
“Felt a nice rattle in north Richmond!” Jacqulyn Howell also commented.
Dozens of local residents related stories of their pets acting strangely and their houses being shaken for about 10 to 30 seconds.
Although seismic activity is rare in Kentucky, especially in eastern Kentucky, emergency management agencies have prepared extensively to respond to major earthquakes, Richards said. In 2011, thousands of emergency workers from eight states, including Kentucky, participated in a National Level Exercise that simulated the response to a 7.7-magnitude quake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.
“It’s an 8 or above (magnitude) that scares us to death,” Richards said in regards to property damage and potential loss of life.
Richards said Army officials in charge of the chemical weapon stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot have several procedures in place to check on damage after an earthquake. However, he doubted that an earthquake of this small magnitude would damage the site where the chemical weapons are stored.
The U.S. Geological Service reports that earthquakes east of the Rocky Mountains do not occur as much as those west of the range, however, eastern U.S. quakes tend to be felt over a broader distance.
“East of the Rockies, an earthquake can be felt over an area as much as 10 times larger than a similar magnitude earthquake on the west coast,” The agency’s website, http://earthquake.usgs.gov, states.
Also, while western U.S. earthquakes are usually traced to named faults, most temblors in the eastern portion of the country are not.
“The region is laced with known faults but numerous smaller or deeply buried faults remain undetected. Even most of the known faults are poorly located at earthquake depths,” the agency reports.
The most powerful earthquake reported in modern times in Kentucky, measured at a 5.2 magnitude, occurred July 27, 1980, in Bath County. It caused about $1 million in property damage to buildings in nearby Maysville, the U.S. Geological Service reports.
Sarah Hogsed can be reached at shogsed@richmondregister.com or 624-6694.
Local News
Noon earthquake rattles Madison County residents
Epicenter of 4.3 quake reported near Whitesburg
- Local News
-
-
State champs get their rings at YMCA breakfast
Two months may have passed, but Madison County continues to celebrate the state basketball championship won by the Madison Central boys team.
Team members were presented championship rings while their cheerleaders received pendants Saturday morning during a breakfast at the Telford YMCA attended by nearly 300. -
Sand artist, pastry chef wow audience at cake expo
Joe Castillo dazzled audiences while performing at Eastern Kentucky University’s Center for the Arts Saturday during the Grace with Taste Cake Expo.
Castillo, along with pastry chef Stella Parks, were the entertainment acts at the expo early in the afternoon. -
District urges students to ‘PowerMyLearning’ through the summer
Sixteen little penguins need help jumping from iceberg to iceberg as a hungry killer whale swims menacingly in the chilly water below.
The fate of the poor little penguins lies in the hands of a third-grade student, who must quickly find the answer to a math equation to lead the penguins to safety. -
Vietnam vets mark Armed Forces Day
In the 1960s and ‘70s, when many campuses around the country were the scene of anti-war riots and demonstrations, Eastern Kentucky University was naming buildings and streets for its alumni who had died fighting for their country.
-
GREAT bridges gap between cops, preteens
Bridging the gap between public misconceptions about police officers and the reality of what’s behind the uniform can be a daunting task. But, a growing program at Madison County middle schools is helping break down those barriers.
-
Exit 95 rebuild delayed until 2017
Originally scheduled for 2014, the reconstruction of Exit 95 on Interstate 75 won’t take place until 2017, Madison Judge/Executive Kent Clark told a joint meeting of the Richmond and Berea chambers of commerce Friday.
The state Transportation Cabinet is delaying the project, Clark said, until a decision is made on the proposed highway that would run from Exit 95 to Nicholasville. -
Toyota bornlearning Academy graduates parents
Seven graduates received their certificates Thursday night, but not with the customary rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance.”
It was a celebration of the parents’ six-month journey with the Toyota bornlearning Academy at Berea Community School.
The academy works with parents and caregivers of children from prenatal to 5 years old on ways to turn everyday moments into learning opportunities. -
Caudill Middle School student showcase
Members of the Caudil Middle School Jazz Band entertain the crowd during the school's end of year student showcase Thursday.
-
Man arrested Friday after early morning break-in
Richmond police made an arrest Friday in connection with an early morning break-in at Jack’s Cleaners on West Water Street.
Scott Hobbs, 42, of McKee, was charged with first-degree burglary, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock
At 3:25 a.m., a witness reported seeing a man enter and exit the cleaners through a broken window and drive away, Brock stated in a news release. -
Grand jury indicts inmates in jail assault
Two inmates at the Madison County Detention Center were indicted Wednesday on charges related to the beating of another prisoner.
A Madison grand jury indicted 28-year-old Justin Morgan Howell and 26-year-old Lucas Wayne Shanks on charges of second-degree assault, second-degree escape and second-degree persistent felony offenders. - More Local News Headlines
-
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
