Did you feel it? A small 1.8 magnitude earthquake shook parts of north Georgia Wednesday night.
The earthquake happened around 8:30 p.m. near Lake Lanier and barely registered on the United States Geological Survey’s website.
Channel 2 Action News received calls and messages from neighbors who felt shakes in Forsyth County.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said they got them too. Luckily, the office said no damage was reported anywhere.
“Remember it’s 2020, don’t act like y’all are surprised. What’s next a Blizcanenadoquake? Remember only 22 days left in this year. Stay Safe Forsyth,” Sheriff Ron Freeman said.
Channel 2 Action News spoke to one woman who said the quake shook her out of bed. Lynn Shivers said she was in her bed when she heard a big boom.
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“I thought it was a massive car accident with multiple cars,” Shivers said.
The Forsyth County sheriff’s department had numerous 911 calls and more than 200 comments on their Facebook page.
“Anything goes in 2020, we’re allowed to have earthquakes in Georgia,” Shivers said.
According to scientists at the Tellus Science Museum, this earthquake was in the eastern piedmont fault system.
“This is in the piedmont, so it’s all hard and metamorphic rock. There’s old faults through there from where Appalachia was built so things can shift and settle,” said Ryan Roney from the Tellus Science Museum.
Roney said they won’t cause damage or knock things off walls.
Many people were concerned because it was so close to Lake Lanier and the dam, but Roney says it’s not a concern.
“That’s not strong enough to hurt the dam and the dams are designed to handle larger activity,” Roney said.
Roney said this was likely a one-time event and doesn’t expect any tremors from this size earthquake.
Yes folks that was indeed a 1.8 Earthquake many of you felt around Northeast Forsyth tonight. At least according to our...
Posted by Forsyth County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, December 9, 2020
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