3.2 Magnitude Earthquake Reported In North Carolina

This is a town that seems all too familiar with the earth rumbling.  A 3.2 magnitude earthquake was reported early Sunday morning in North Carolina. The United States Geological Survey says the earthquake happened near Canton, North Carolina. Canton is a city near Asheville.  The quake reportedly happened around 6 a.m. according to Channel 9 in Charlotte. It is unclear at this time if the earthquake caused any injuries.  It is a developing story. Just a few weeks ago Canton experienced an earthquake but that one was of a smaller magnitude.  To learn more about this story and about other recent earthquakes near North Carolina, get details from the United States Geological Survey right here. According to officials, the Canton area may be feeling the effects of the Brevard fault zone.  That extends from Alabama to Virginia across North Carolina.  Another major fault in the area is the Linville Falls fault. What causes an earthquake to happen in the first place?  According to the United States Geological Survey, an earthquake occurs when there is a sudden slip on a fault. This is the scientific explanation by the USGS " The tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth's crust and cause the shaking that we feel." [select-listicle listicle_id="437324" syndication_name="4-spectacular-celestial-events-coming-up" description="yes"]