#North Carolina hit by 5.1-magnitude earthquake, most powerful in 100 years

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Puddles of water and sand are left on a road after Hurricane Isaias in Oak Island, North Carolina
AP

A 5.1-magnitude earthquake rocked North Carolina early Sunday with the most powerful tremors to hit the state in more than 100 years.

The quake struck around 8:07 a.m. with the epicenter about was about 2.5 miles southeast of Sparta, just south of the Virginia-North Carolina border, according to the US Geological Service.

Tremors were reported throughout the Tar Heel State, as well as nearby Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

It marked the strongest to rattle the state since 1916, when a magnitude 5.5 quake occurred near Skyland, according to the National Weather Service in Greenville.

No immediate reports of damage or injuries followed the quake, as the affected region has structures “that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist,” the geological service said.

But images emerging on social media show building with cracked walls and stores with products strewn around the floor.

The quake followed a smaller one in the state hours earlier, and comes days after Tropical Storm Isaias brought dangerous winds to the region.

With Post wires