Earthquake Jolt Surprises Central Kentucky And Seven Other States

A 4.3-magnitude earthquake jolt, surprises Eastern and Central Kentucky and reverberates are felt by at least seven other states. U.S. Geological Survey has reported the quake centered in Kentucky, but also rattled residents in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.

Reportedly, the earthquakes epicenter was deep under the Appalanchian Mountains town of Blackey, near the Virginia border.

According to U.S. Geological reports quake hit at 12:08 p.m.

Chief Meteorologist Chris Bailey of WKYT-TV has reportedly said the earthquake was the strongest in Kentucky since a 5.2 quake that hit Bath County in 1980.

A recent U.S. Geological report has confirmed the trimmer also touched Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana and South Carolina.

On social media, people in Kentucky reported feeling it as far south as Williamsburg and Corbin, and as far west as Lexington and Mount Sterling. However, the quake’s biggest punch dramatically effected Eastern Kentucky.

Will Nash say he was in Prestonsburg doing a professional development training with a group of 25 teachers. They report feeling the rumble in the library as ceiling fans and books shook,”

Lt. Ken Sexton of the Whitesburg Fire Department said officials in Letcher County were trying to assess damage, but they had not received any reports of injuries about an hour after the quake.

Perry County emergency dispatch operator, Barbara Brashear said they had received two reports of property damage so far, but no injuries.

“We have reports of a lot of pictures falling off the wall,” she said. “We’ve been told it was felt as far up as Cincinnati and as far south as Georgia.”

When Whitesburg police spoke with NBC News they were still assessing the quake but there was no immediate visible damage.

Most Kentucky temblors historically have occurred in the western portion of the state, near the New Madrid seismic zone, the USGS says.

Geophysicist Paul Caruso in Denver told an NBC affiliate that usually, major damage is expected when magnitude is 5.5 or higher.