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Earthquake shakes North Carolina and social media blows up

After a 5.1 earthquake shook much of North Carolina, we received hundreds of emails and texts. Twitter also went crazy. Here are some of your reactions.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Hundreds of people in the Piedmont Triad on Sunday sent us emails and social media messages saying they felt an earthquake.

Well, folks, your suspicions were confirmed. Just after 8 a.m., there was a magnitude 5.1 quake near Sparta, NC, the USGS reported. 

Immediately, social media was flooded with questions and comments asking if anyone else felt the ground shake. WFMY News 2 also got several emails.

Paige  Flotkoetter, a sister to one of WFMY News 2's senior digital producers, shared video from a camera inside her home. In the video, you can hear the rumble of the earthquake and see Flotkoetter look around. Her dog jumped from the couch and started barking.

Dwayne Young, one of our weather spotters in Stokes County, sent a picture of a crack in the ceiling of his garage.

Credit: Dwayne Young
Dwayne Young, one of our weather spotters in Stokes, sent a picture of a crack in the ceiling of his garage after a 5.1 earthquake that shook Noth Carolina on Aug. 9, 2020.

Barbara Simmons sent us a message on Facebook and said, “I was on my back deck in Archdale. My storm door started shaking then my deck started shaking. Lasted less than a min."

Nicole Lynn said, “Earthquake felt in Yanceyville, N.C around 8:05 a.m. this morning.”

RELATED: DID YOU FEEL IT? Large earthquake shakes the Triad

Donna Eckert’s Facebook message said, “Big earthquake in Fancy Gap...sounded like a train!”

“Just so y’all know I just felt an earthquake for a few seconds. It woke me up. It looks like the epicenter was in Sparta, NC— a 5.1 magnitude, but it reached me here in High Point,” Gregory Curry wrote.

Less than five minutes after it hit, #earthquake was trending on Twitter.

Our Chief Meteorologist Tim Buckley tweeted, almost as it was happening, that the quake woke him up Sunday morning.

Many others took to Twitter to share their experiences and, of course, GIFs and memes.

Tons of text messages were sent to us, too.

“Felt the earthquake here in Stoneville, NC. Was in the bathroom and felt the whole house shake,” Ed Jobe said.

Ted and Teresa Thompson texted, “Felt the earthquake in Clemmons! Thought my adjustable bed was going haywire!”

Now, that is funny!

"Earthquake was bad in Boonville in Yadkin Co. Shook our house and everything in it," Kathy said.

Want to share your earthquake experience with us? Text us at 336-379-5775. Make sure to leave your name and location.

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