) in the Piedmont province. Earthquakes in the state are irregular and rarely top 4.5 on the
| Date | Magnitude | Location | Comments |
| 1774-02-21February 21, 1774 |
4.5 |
Near Petersburg Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, Prince George CountyAs of the census of 2000, there were 33,047 people, 10,159 households, and 8,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile . There were 10,726 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
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| 1833-08-27August 27, 1833 |
4.5 |
Central Virginia |
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| 1852-04-02April 2, 1852 |
4.3 |
Near Buckingham Buckingham is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Buckingham County, Virginia, United States...
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Central Virginia, about 55 km south of CharlottesvilleCharlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
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| 1852-04-29April 29, 1852 |
4.9 |
Near Wytheville Wytheville is a town in Wythe County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,211 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Wythe County. The town is home to a Chautauqua Festival, held the third weekend in June every year since 1985...
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Wythe County As of the census of 2000, there were 27,599 people, 11,511 households, and 8,103 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 12,744 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
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| 1875-12-22December 22–23, 1875 |
4.5 |
Central Virginia |
Near the James RiverThe James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
waterfront in GoochlandGoochland County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 21,717. Its county seat is Goochland. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area ....
and Powhatan CountiesAs of the census of 2000, there were 22,377 people, 7,258 households, and 5,900 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 7,509 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
, and in Louisa CountyLouisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 33,153. The county seat is Louisa.- History :...
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| 1897-05-03May 3, 1897 |
4.3 |
near Radford Radford is a city in Virginia, United States. The population was 16,408 in 2010. For statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Radford with neighboring Montgomery County, including the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, calling the combination the...
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Southwest Virginia |
| 1897-05-31May 31, 1897 |
5.9 or 5.8 |
Giles County As of the census of 2000, there were 16,657 people, 6,994 households, and 4,888 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 7,732 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
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Largest earthquake in intensity; large areal extent with aftershocks continuing through June 6, 1897 |
| 1898-02-05February 5, 1898 |
unknown |
Pulaski, VirginiaPulaski is a town in Pulaski County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,086 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Pulaski County.Pulaski is part of the Blacksburg–Christiansburg–Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
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| 1907-02-11February 11, 1907 |
unknown |
Near Arvonia Arvonia is an unincorporated community in Buckingham County, Virginia founded mainly by Welsh immigrants during the 19th century. The town derives its name from the popular port city of Caernarfon, Wales. Its major industry has been slate mining...
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Buckingham County |
| 1918-04-09April 9–10, 1918 |
unknown |
LurayLuray is a town in Page County, Virginia, United States, in the Shenandoah Valley of the northern part of the state. It is also the county seat...
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Page County As of the census of 2000, there were 23,177 people, 9,305 households, and 6,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile . There were 10,557 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
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| 1919-09-05September 5–6, 1919 |
unknown |
Near Front Royal Front Royal is a town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Front Royal is roughly west of Washington, D.C....
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Warren County As of the census of 2000, there were 31,584 people, 12,087 households, and 8,521 families residing in the county. The population density was 148 people per square mile . There were 13,299 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
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| 1929-12-25December 25–26, 1929 |
unknown |
CharlottesvilleCharlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
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Albemarle County As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...
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| 1959-04-23April 23, 1959 |
3.8 |
Giles County As of the census of 2000, there were 16,657 people, 6,994 households, and 4,888 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 7,732 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
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strongest at Eggleston and Pembroke Pembroke is a town in Giles County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,134 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Blacksburg–Christiansburg–Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
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| 1975-04-11April 11, 1975 |
unknown |
Southwest Virginia, near Blacksburg Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
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Montgomery County As of the census of 2000, there were 83,629 people, 30,997 households, and 17,203 families residing in the county. The population density was 215 people per square mile . There were 32,527 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile...
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| 2003-12-09December 9, 2003 15:59 EST |
4.5 |
37.599N -77.932W |
in the foothills about 30 miles (48.3 km) west of RichmondRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and was felt as far away as NorfolkNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
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| 2008-05-06May 6, 2008 13:30 EDT |
1.9 |
38.80N -77.15W |
epicenter was 1 mile SW Annandale Annandale is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 41,008 at the 2010 census, down from 54,994 in 2000 due to the splitting off of the western part of it to form Wakefield and Woodburn CDP's.-Geography:...
; |
| 2009-05-16May 16, 2009 04:08 EDT |
3.0 |
37.25N -80.00W |
in Roanoke County Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376...
, just outside the City of RoanokeRoanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
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| 2009-07-06July 6, 2009 23:59:52 EDT |
2.3 |
37.64N -77.64W |
about 1 km SW of Short PumpShort Pump is a census-designated place in Henrico County, Virginia, United States. The population was 182 at the 2000 census.The village of Short Pump, located at the intersection of Three Chopt Road, Richmond Turnpike and Pouncey Tract Road, was named for the short handled pump beneath the...
; Magnitude 2.3 |
| 2010-07-16July 16, 2010 05:18 EDT |
3.6 |
39.187N 77.286W |
between Germantown and Gaithersburg, Maryland Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
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| 2011-08-23 August 23, 2011 13:51 EDT The 2011 Virginia earthquake occurred on August 23, 2011, at 1:51 pm EDT in the Piedmont region of the U.S. state of Virginia. The epicenter, in Louisa County, was northwest of Richmond and south-southwest of the town of Mineral...
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/se082311a.html |
5.8 |
37.936N 77.933W |
Louisa CountyLouisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 33,153. The county seat is Louisa.- History :...
, VA, 5 miles SSW of MineralMineral is a town in Louisa County, Virginia, United States. The population was 424 at the 2000 census.-History:Mineral was originally known as Tolersville, but adopted its current name when it incorporated in 1902 due to the mining industry that supported the community...
and 37 miles NW of RichmondRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
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On December 9, 2003 at 3:59 p.m. EST (20:59 UTC), a magnitude 4.5 event occurred near Farmville, about 30 miles (48.3 km) west of
. Tremors were reported in
. This event was located at 37.728° N, 78.087° W, at a depth of less than 5 km (3.1 mi) and may have occurred due to rupture along the Lakeside fault.
The December earthquake was preceded by a magnitude 3.8 event on May 5, 2003 whose epicenter was located approximately 40 miles NNE near Cartersville, VA.
earthquake hit Virginia on Tuesday, August 23, 2011, at 17:51:04 UTC (1:51 pm Eastern Daylight Time). The quake occurred at an approximate depth of 3.7 miles and was centered in
, Virginia's capital. Shaking was felt from from
. Many Washington, DC buildings saw precautionary evacuations.
The earthquake caused an estimated $70 million in damage in Louisa County and forced Louisa County High School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School to close for the year as well as rendered about a dozen homes unlivable. Other buildings were damaged as far away as Prince George's County,
. Three decorative pinnacles at
fell. The
A 4.2 aftershock occurred in central Virginia at approximately 8:05pm EDT, August 23, 2011.
Another 4.5 magnitude was detected just south of Mineral, Virginia on August 25, 2011 at 1:07:50 EDT.