UPDATE: On Friday, the Orange County government said the U.S. Geological Survey completed a review of the area and determined the loud noise ultimately was a small earthquake.

Despite the USGS not initially having an earthquake among its data on Thursday, a release from the county said the federal department is confirming the earthquake was 2.2 magnitude that happened about 3.3 miles beneath the surface. The center of the quake was 2.6 miles southwest of Hillsborough and happened at 11:49 a.m. Thomas Pratt, a research geophysicist with the USGS, confirmed to Chapelboro on Friday that the department’s algorithms picked up a disturbance at that time — but it initially did not report the as an earthquake because it assumed the nearby rock quarry in Hillsborough had conducted a blast.

The determination came after local emergency services and law enforcement searched Thursday for potential causes of what was described as a “thunderous boom.” Orange County officials determined by checking with nearby Air Force officials that no scheduled flights took place near Hillsborough on Thursday morning that would’ve caused a sonic boom. An Air Force public affairs official also told emergency services that no Navy flights were conducted either, eliminating further options after the Orange County Sheriff’s Office determined it was not an explosion at the nearby rock quarry, I-40 construction site, or Collins Ridge construction site. 

“Given the heightened state of security, it was important for us to assess and attempt to determine the cause,” Orange County Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders said on Friday in the county’s release. “We were able to quickly rule out any threats/risk to the safety of our community.”

The U.S. Geological Survey’s page marking the earthquake in Hillsborough can be found here.

Below is the original story published on Thursday, October 19 in the hours after the earthquake.

A tremor and loud noise briefly shook the town of Hillsborough on Thursday, leaving people wondering where it came from and whether people were okay.

Shortly before 12 p.m., community members reported to Chapelboro feeling a shaking of the ground and buildings for a few seconds — with others adding that it was preceded by a loud boom.

Both the Orange County and Hillsborough local governments shared posts saying their authorities are investigating the cause of the noise.

While the description of the event seems similar to an earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey did not report any earthquake in North Carolina at that time on Thursday. Duke Energy was not reporting any power outages in the 12 p.m. hour either.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said it is looking into the source of the tremor and it was receiving many calls from people reporting the noise and shaking. But Director of Public Information Alicia Stemper said the office had not received any calls of injuries nor property damage in the first half-hour after the event.

The Orange County courthouse briefly evacuated its staff following the tremor, but returned to the building a few minutes later and is continuing normal operations. Orange County Clerk of Court Mark Kleinschmidt expressed this in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

While the incident was felt at Orange County Schools campuses, the district is not changing its plans for the day. Kevin Smith, the chief communications officer for the district, confirmed to Chapelboro that all operations for its schools would continue like normal for the rest of Thursday.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

 

Related Stories
‹
Strong Earthquake Kills at Least 126 People in Western China Near Mount Everest
Written by KEN MORITSUGU BEIJING (AP) — A strong earthquake shook a high-altitude region of western China and areas of Nepal on Tuesday, damaging hundreds of houses, littering streets with rubble and killing at least 126 people in Tibet. Many others were trapped as dozens of aftershocks shook the remote region. Rescue workers climbed mounds of broken bricks, […]
Prayers and Tears Mark 20 Years Since the Indian Ocean Tsunami That Killed Some 230,000 People
People gathered in prayer and visited mass graves on Thursday to mark 20 years since the massive Indian Ocean tsunami hit the region in one of modern history’s worst natural disasters.
Myanmar Guerrillas Capture Gov’t Base; Airstrikes Follow
Written by GRANT PECK Ethnic Karen guerrillas said they captured a Myanmar army base Tuesday near the border with Thailand, representing a morale-boosting action for those opposing the military’s takeover of the country’s civilian government in February. Myanmar’s military staged airstrikes several hours later on villages in territory controlled by the Karen forces, said a guerrilla […]
Thousands Flee Myanmar Airstrikes, Complicating Crisis
A series of airstrikes by Myanmar’s military along the country’s border raised concerns Monday that more villagers might flee to neighboring Thailand in large numbers, adding a new dimension to an already volatile crisis. The strikes in areas populated predominantly by ethnic Karen people represent another escalation in the increasingly violent crackdown by Myanmar’s junta […]
Karen Refugees Hoping To See Family Again
About 50,000 Karen refugees live in the US - but hundreds of thousands more remain behind.
'Let's Not Forget Our Neighbors': UNC Leader Shares Western NC's Needs Amid Helene Recovery
In western North Carolina, recovery continues from Hurricane Helene last fall. UNC officials are working to harness their resources to help.
Analyzing The Significance of The UNC-Duke Rivalry in The White Lotus Season 3
The White Lotus season three uses the UNC-Duke rivalry to make a deeper point about a family of main characters.
A Year After Syria’s Deadly Earthquake, Orphaned Children Adjust to the Loss Bit by Bit
Some 542 children were found “unaccompanied and separated” after the earthquake throughout Syria in 2023, says UNICEF.
Sugar Prices Are Rising Worldwide After Bad Weather Tied to El Nino Damaged Crops in Asia
Written by ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL and CHINEDU ASADU Skyrocketing sugar prices left Ishaq Abdulraheem with few choices. Increasing the cost of bread would mean declining sales, so the Nigerian baker decided to cut his production by half. For scores of other bakers struggling to stay afloat while enduring higher costs for fuel and flour, the stratospheric sugar […]
After Review, Orange County Says Boom in Hillsborough Was 2.2 Magnitude Earthquake
UPDATE: On Friday, the Orange County government said the U.S. Geological Survey completed a review and determined the loud noise ultimately was a small earthquake.
›