Information on the Virginia Earthquake

Information on the Virginia Earthquake

WVGES Home > Seismicity in West Virginia > Information on the Virginia Earthquake

seismograph image of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Virginia as recorded at WVGES

"Z" Trace seismograph image of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Virginia as recorded 8/23/11, 1:51 PM at WVGES, Mont Chateau seismic station (MCWV)

On Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit about 5 miles SSW outside of Mineral, VA (about 38 miles NW of Richmond, VA). Many in West Virginia and surrounding states also felt this earthquake. WVGES hopes to provide you further information on this earthquake.

♦ Seismographs of the 5.8 Virginia Earthquake

These seismographs were recorded at WVGES' Mont Chateau facility (MCWV) in Morgantown, WV. Click on an image for a larger view.

Sesimograph image of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Virginia as recorded at the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Mont Chateau Station(MCWV) in Morgantown, WV
WVGES MCWV data as captured by the Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory:
- Reading for the August 23, 2011, 5.8 Virginia Earthquake
- Current Reading (past 24 hours)

♦ Media Links

Most of these links have interviews with Dr. Ronald McDowell, WVGES Senior Research Geologist Head of the Geoscience Section.

WBOY-TV Channel 12, Clarksburg, WV (video and text)
WDTV-TV Channel 5, Clarksburg, WV (video and text)
MetroNews "Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval" Choose Wednesday's program (audio interview with Ron begins 28 minutes into program)

♦ Did you feel the August 23rd, 5.8 Earthquake?

image of USGS Community Internet Inensity Map for the Virginia 5.8 earthquak as reported

→ Report what you felt and any damage information to the United States Geologic Survey (USGS)
Just a quick and easy online form to fill!

View the regional intensity maps via internet responses so far

♦ Virginia 5.8 Earthquake and Following Aftershocks

Seismic Event	Magnitude	Location	Time at Epicenter (DST)	USGS ID
Earthquake	5.8	37.936°N, -77.933°W; 6 Km (3.7 Mi) Deep	8/23/11, 1:51:04 PM	se082311a
Aftershock	2.8	37.931°N, -77.935°W; 0.1 Km (~0.1 Mi) Deep	8/23/11, 2:46:50 PM	se082311b
Aftershock	2.2	37.911°N, -78.004°W; 0.1 Km (~0.1 Mi) Deep	8/23/11, 3:20:26 PM	se082311c
Aftershock ¹	4.2	37.912°N, -77.951°W; 7.9 Km (4.9 Mi) Deep	08/23/11, 8:04:36 PM	se082411b
Aftershock	3.4	37.925°N, -77.994°W; 4.9 Km (3.0 Mi) Deep	08/24/11, 12:45:26 AM	usc0005ivl
Aftershock	2.5	37.923°N, -77.988°W; 0.1 Km (~0.1 Mi) Deep	08/25/11, 12:06:47 AM	se082511b
Aftershock	2.6	37.903°N, -77.814°W; 4.9 Km (3.0 Mi) Deep	8/25/11, 4:40:56 PM	usc0005k2n
Aftershock	2.0	37.939°N, -77.987°W; 4.1 Km (2.5 Mi) Deep	8/28/11, 11:15:21 PM	usc0005l16
Aftershock	2.7	37.938°N, -78.006°W; 5.1 Km (3.2 Mi) Deep	8/28/11, 11:16:50 PM	usc0005l18
Aftershock	2.6	37.927°N, -77.942°W; 8.5 Km (5.3 Mi) Deep	8/29/11, 11:48:28 PM	usc0005lkc
Aftershock	3.4	37.951°N, -77.927°W; 3.5 Km (2.2 Mi) Deep	9/01/11, 5:09:38 AM	usc0005mrm
Aftershock	2.0	37.948°N, -77.971°W; 5.5 Km (3.4 Mi) Deep	9/03/11, 5:10:53 PM	se090311a
Aftershock	2.5.	37.947°N, -77.970°W; 5.2 Km (3.2 Mi) Deep	9/05/11, 12:54:24 PM	se090511b
Aftershock	2.1	37.923°N, -77.882°W; 1.7 Km (1.1 Mi) Deep	9/06/11, 5:03:16 AM	se090611a
Aftershock	2.0	37.937°N, -77.965°W; 6.2 Km (3.9 Mi) Deep	9/06/11, 5:17:53 PM	se090611c
Aftershock	2.1	37.959°N, -77.946°W; 6.1 Km (3.8 Mi) Deep	9/07/11, 1:56:43 AM	se090711a
~~Aftershock~~ Deleted by USGS	~~2.7~~	~~37.960°N, -77.882°W; 5.0 Km (3.1 Mi) Deep~~	~~9/07/11, 8:29:07 AM~~	~~usc0005q8g~~
Aftershock	2.1	37.937°N, -77.987°W; 4.6 Km (2.9 Mi) Deep	9/16/11, 12:17:39 PM	se091611b

¹ This seismic event might be considered a seperate earthquake.

For most up-to-date information on aftershocks in Virginia, please visit: USGS Earthquake List for Map Centered at 38°N, 78°W

♦ New Virginia 4.5 Earthquake

This newer earthquake in Virginia is considered as a separate seismic event.

Seismic Event	Magnitude	Location	Time at Epicenter (DST)	USGS ID
Earthquake	4.5	37.940°N, 77.896°W; 5 Km (3.1 Mi) Deep	8/25/11, 1:07:50 AM	usc0005jg1

♦ Further Information on the Virginia 5.8 Earthquake

DMME, Division of Geology and Mineral Resources, Virginia: http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DMR3/va_5.8_earthquake.shtml
USGS Poster "M5.8 Virginia Region Earthquake of 23 August 2011": PDF (7.05 MB) or download from USGS
IRIS "Teachable Moments" Resource: Powerpoint (5.0 MB) or PDF (2.69 MB)

♦ Further Information on Earthquakes in Virginia, West Virginia and Region

USGS: Earthquakes in Virginia and Vicinity 1774 - 2004: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1017/
USGS: Virginia, Earthquake History: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/virginia/history.php
USGS: Virginia, Earthquake Information: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/index.php?regionID=46
USGS: West Virginia, Earthquake History: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/west_virginia/history.php
USGS: West Virginia, Earthquake Information: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/index.php?regionID=48
Note: West Virginia had a 2.7 Earthquake. The epicenter was about 10 miles from White Sulphur Springs at 1:59 AM, 8/25/11. Further information: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/se082511a.php

♦ Coming Soon!

Coming soon to WVGES, our own page with West Virginia Seismic/Earthquake activity, including a downloadable page-sized epicenter map.

Page last revised: September 16, 2011

Please send questions, comments, and/or suggestions to webmaster.

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            West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
  Address:  Mont Chateau Research Center
            1 Mont Chateau Road
            Morgantown, WV  26508-8079
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