4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Eastern Kentucky [Breaking]

Whitesburg, KY – a 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck roughly eight miles west of Whitesburg early Saturday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The epicenter of the light, shallow earthquake was 0.7 miles deep under the Appalachian Mountains town of Blackey, close to the border of Virginia, according to NBC News.

Thus far, there have been no immediate reports of damage in the eastern Kentucky area, which was most affected by the 4.3-magnitude earthquake.

The earthquake caused tremors felt from Cincinnati, Ohio to Atlanta, Georgia, according to geophysicist Paul Caruso.

“Normally, we don’t expect major damage with this kind of intensity.” However, he said that it’s “not out of the question” that there could be some minor damage. Caruso was quick to note that commonly, major damage is expected when an earthquake’s magnitude is 5.5 or higher.

Most Kentucky quakes have historically occurred in the western part of the state near the New Madrid seismic zone, according to the USGS.

Several earthquakes, ranging in magnitude, have struck around the world in the past several days. Yesterday, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake reportedly struck Japan, though not tsunami warning was issued. On November 7, a 7.5-magnitude quake struck Guatemala, though damage to that area was not fully reported at the time.

Prior to that, a 4.2-magnitude quake struck Canada, shaking the Ontario-Quebec Border Region. Additionally, a 2.0-magnitude quake hit storm-stricken northern New Jersey on November 5, though it didn’t seem to cause many problems for the state, which is still recovering in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

We’ll have more on the 4.3-magnitude earthquake in Kentucky as the story develops.