WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- The booms are back.
Around 10 a.m. Tuesday, reports came spilling in from around the Cape Fear of loud noises and shaking. For years, the mysterious booms have confused residents who not only want to know what's happening but why.
Some people reported hearing a loud noise while others say they just felt the ground shaking.
The United States Geological Survey says in areas in North Carolina from as far south as Ash in Brunswick County north to Havelock, people felt a weak to light rumble.
We reached out to the USGS office in Memphis that monitors our area. Seismologist Oliver Boyd says nothing registered on the Richter Scale. So what could it have been?
One post on our website said it felt like a surface earthquake like one experienced in California. Boyd says the minimum magnitude that is registered on the scale is between 1.5 and 2. He says if an earthquake is less than that magnitude, it would not be felt.
There was a small earthquake in Virginia early Tuesday morning. Boyd said Wilmington is too far away from the quake to have felt an aftershock.
We also asked if there was any activity in the ocean that could have registered on the coast. Boyd said they had nothing to report.
So is there an answer?
Boyd says we need to figure out if the booms are coming from the earth or the atmosphere which could be determined by putting seismometers into the ground.
There are many theories about what causes this rocking and rolling. But the answers continues to escape scientists.
Sonic Booms
Heard/felt these this morning in Supply. No seismic activity reported so it must have been sonic booms. The military probably won't confirm this as it is a big no-no to cause these over populated areas. I think a couple of hot dog pilots.
Sorry, I was playing my drums.
Yeah, it was the earth shattering bass from my kick drums.
We were on Oak Island.
We were on Oak Island. First one was loud "boom" followed by house shaking like it was being hit. Then again a few seconds later but not as severe. It happened again over an hour later and then a fourth time about 10 minutes after that.
same here....in oki felt it
same here....in oki felt it too..thought someone was banging on my door at first!
SENECA GUNS
I am near the OI Rec. Center. Someone would have to be knocking on my door with a Howitzer to shake the house like that!
Maybe something.....
Maybe something happened at Sunny Point, in which case you will never receive an explanation.
God's breakfast disagreed
God's breakfast disagreed with him.
crazy
I was on a steel building near market st felt tremor twice first time lasted about 3 seconds 2nd time lasted about 20 now after all tbe crazy storiez i have heard i am not sure what to think so i will ad one of my own maybe iran tested a nuke duh!
Indians with Atomic Weapons
Again the wonderful local news has me laughing reporting that it was the "Seneca Guns," ghosts of an Indian tribe making my house shake using their guns. I hope Iran does not get into communication with the ghosts or we are all in trouble because the sound and the shake that was felt it must have been an Atomic bomb. Someone call the government, we need to inspect the ghosts and place.
LOL, when people say it's
LOL, when people say it's the Seneca Guns it makes me chuckle. The Seneca Indians sure are a bad shot, as nothing has ever hit shore! And for a lady whom I used to work with, who insisted it was the shifting of the continental shelf...I say, If you hear something THIS BIG, you better run for your life, because it would cause a sunami such as the world has never seen! LOL. Can you say Sonic Boom? Who cares if the jets break the speed of sound? If you listen closely after a big boom, you can hear jets :o) I heard 2 of them this morning (2/28/12) at 10am, which woke me up. 2 more at about 10 minutes till noon.
Hmmmm
Aren't "Seneca Guns" just another offspring idea of a parallel universe?
The Boom Theory
I thought it was Ben McCoy's Mouth going off. Much like this Morning, it goes off and shakes a little but It does no damage and serves no purpose. An anomoly.
Loud Booms
We are in a metal building and it sounded like someone had picked it up and dropped it a few times! Know how that dumpster sounds when they drop it--this was 10 times worse!!
there was a 1.8 magnitude
there was a 1.8 magnitude quake in VA this am... so somebody needs to figure out if it was the "guns", a tremor, the breaking of the sound barrier down on base in jacksonville, or what.... theres NO news about it. thanks.
In Evans, GA we had shaking
In Evans, GA we had shaking and a loud boom here at about 10:30 a.m. this morning also....strange since we are about 300 miles apart, huh?!
It would be nice for the
It would be nice for the goverment to let us know what is going on for our safety. my whole house shook this morning an this ghost stuff is alot of crap. whats going on at the military bases is what I have to ask.
my house was shaking
we live in burgaw and around our house just started shacking and my neighbors to what just happened?
"Booms" in Wilmington
Heard two large booms and felt strong shaking in my office across from Mayfaire in Wilmington, NC.
Large boom
Just after 10:00am this morning it felt like someone fell on our roof and then I heard sheetrock dust falling in the wall. I thought someone was on my roof or in my attic but no one was around.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/ea
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/events/us/2012_001/us/index....
felt/heard again larger than
felt/heard again larger than the 1st on 11;40ish
Seneca guns or earthquake?
I go to south brunswick high and have hearing them off and on since 9 this morning the initial boom was the strongest it shook our whole building
heard it again also
heard it again also down here at town creek just above winnabow. but i was outside. did not feel it and it seemed less that the first (which was (2 2 second ones about 1 second apart)
the second seemed like a sonic boom. but the first 2 shook the house. but since i was in different places, i can't compare them. for all i know, this one might have shook the house also.
Felt it here in Shallotte
Felt it here in Shallotte just now. Large boom and building shook.
i felt it here in burgaw.
i felt it here in burgaw. definatley stronger than the one we had here a few months ago. shook things in this steel building i have never heard shake before in almost 2 years of being here
Large Booms
I am from California and it sure felt like a surface quake which happen really quick.
God fell down!!!
God fell down!!!
Repoort It Here to USGS Gov
Report it to USGS Here: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/form.php?enabled=false
Link to USGS
Report it here for usgs to follow up... Time on previous link incorrect for that kind of sharke.. Patio door bounced open... wtfo..
Report Link to USGS
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/form.php?enabled=false
Seneca Guns?
Someone posted on my FB page that they felt it in Greenville at the same time. It's hard to believe that could be Seneca Guns that far away. Felt more like a small tremor.