2.1 earthquake reported near Lenoir, seventh in NC this year

A 2.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded outside Lenoir, northwest of Hickory, on Monday night by the U.S. Geological Survey, the seventh quake in North Carolina in the past 365 days.

There were no reports of damage.

In the last year, a 2.4 magnitude quake was reported in Millers Creek, a 1.9 in Newland, a 1.6 in Burnsville, a 2.4 in Burnsville, a 2.1 in Bakersville and a 2.2 in Spruce Pine, according to USGS data. An earthquake’s magnitude is a measure of the amount of energy released during the quake.

Smaller quakes like these aren’t likely to be noticed, but a quake’s magnitude doesn’t necessary indicate how intensely it is felt, according to the USGS.

The magnitudes are graded on scales. The Richter Scale is not commonly used anymore, the USGS says. It’s been replaced by the moment magnitude scale, which is more accurate.

Small quakes like those reported near Lenoir are common. There are hundreds of larger quakes, like 6.0 magnitude earthquakes, worldwide each year. Small quakes happen across the world every hour or so, according to USGS data.

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 5:49 PM with the headline "2.1 earthquake reported near Lenoir, seventh in NC this year."