Damage from Sparta earthquake worse than originally thought, officials say

SPARTA, N.C. — The damage caused by a historic earthquake in Sparta is worse than originally thought, officials said.

The 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit the North Carolina town on Aug. 9.

It was the strongest earthquake in the state since 1916.

“It was like a big explosion,” said Alice Estep, whose home was damaged. “Everything started falling from the walls, food falling out of the cabinets, everything.”

There have been 20 aftershocks around Sparta.

In the video at the top of this webpage, meteorologist John Ahrens takes a tour of the damage and speaks with the anxious residents.

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Cox Media Group