The February 21, 1916 earthquake
M5.2Near Asheville, North Carolina
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake, centred in Buncombe County. The strongest in North Carolina’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles in the catalogue, which runs from 1900.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.2
- as reported (mfa)
- Depth
- —
- Not recorded
- Local time
- Monday, February 21, 1916
- 18:39 EST; 23:39 UTC
- In North Carolina’s record
- 1st
- strongest of 79 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ushis587 (“Near Asheville, North Carolina”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.
Counties and cities within 50 miles
Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.
Counties
- Buncombe CountyNC · inside
- Henderson CountyNC · 4.1 mi
- Rutherford CountyNC · 13.0 mi
- McDowell CountyNC · 13.3 mi
- Haywood CountyNC · 14.8 mi
- Transylvania CountyNC · 14.8 mi
- Polk CountyNC · 15.3 mi
- Madison CountyNC · 18.3 mi
- Yancey CountyNC · 19.1 mi
- Greenville CountySC · 20.6 mi
- Spartanburg CountySC · 26.4 mi
- Jackson CountyNC · 27.7 mi
- Pickens CountySC · 29.7 mi
- Mitchell CountyNC · 29.8 mi
- Unicoi CountyTN · 31.7 mi
- Cocke CountyTN · 32.9 mi
- Greene CountyTN · 34.3 mi
- Burke CountyNC · 36.1 mi
- Swain CountyNC · 37.1 mi
- Oconee CountySC · 38.0 mi
- Avery CountyNC · 40.7 mi
- Cherokee CountySC · 41.5 mi
- Washington CountyTN · 41.5 mi
- Macon CountyNC · 44.6 mi
- Sevier CountyTN · 44.6 mi
- Cleveland CountyNC · 45.7 mi
- Carter CountyTN · 46.7 mi
- Anderson CountySC · 47.0 mi
- Rabun CountyGA · 48.7 mi
Cities, largest first
- AshevilleNC · 5.7 mi
- GreenvilleSC · 46.5 mi
- GreerSC · 42.1 mi
- EasleySC · 47.3 mi
- MorgantonNC · 47.9 mi
- GreenevilleTN · 49.5 mi
- HendersonvilleNC · 12.4 mi
- WaynesvilleNC · 28.1 mi
Earthquakes around the epicentre
11 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.
No earlier earthquake of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles in the catalogue since 1900.
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.