Officials investigate tremors, loud bangs in Pennsylvania

People in central Pennsylvania are experiencing tremors and loud bangs today. As of now, the reason is a mystery.

This news report says "spike on a seismometer", but I do not see anything on USGS as far as I can tell. I do not see anything so far on a few other sites either.

I wonder what happened? Perhaps a mine collapsed?

Officials in a central Pennsylvania borough are investigating after receiving reports of loud blasts and tremors in the area.

Bellefonte borough Assistant Manager Don Holderman tells the Centre Daily Times his office began receiving calls at about 11:45 a.m. Thursday from people who reported tremors that feel like an earthquake and hearing loud blasts.

Officials investigate tremors, loud bangs in Pennsylvania

a reply to: BlueAjah

This could be related.

Breaking911 ‏ Verified account @Breaking911

@Breaking911 More DEVELOPING: ‘Flammable devices’ found on roofs of Centre County, Pa. courthouse, sheriff’s office - WJAC

twitter.com...

Didn't a large amount of explosives go missing from a PA Job site roughly a year ago?

There are three rock quarries in the area .

originally posted by: Sabrechucker
Didn't a large amount of explosives go missing from a PA Job site roughly a year ago?

Yep. patch.com... Probably kids.

a reply to: skunkape23

Thank's, I never knew some we're recovered. Darn kids

Their local news has some more information:

‘Tremors,’ ‘blasts’ in Bellefonte are the cause of a geological event, police say

Bellini said that multiple seismic monitoring stations in central Pennsylvania picked up the activity to some extent, but it was too small to determine a magnitude. He said from the data collected, the event looks to have occurred in a 5-or-more-mile radius of Centre Hall — about 8 miles from Bellefonte. But because the data is so limited, he said it’s hard to tell.

Holderman said that to the best of his knowledge, no developers were blasting in the area on Thursday, and he spoke to officials at Graymont quarry in Pleasant Gap, and doesn’t believe the tremors stem from activity there.

Some Bellefonte residents have told the Centre Daily Times that they felt tremors as late as 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., and others have reported feeling shakes on Wednesday. Bellini said his data only show activity Thursday.

Some people on social media they felt the tremors shake the walls of their homes, and in some cases even knock pictures to the ground.

a reply to: EchoesInTime

Good thinking, but it looks like that is unrelated:

Sampsel also said the devices have “no relation whatsoever” with the “tremors” and “blasts” reported Thursday in the Bellefonte area. Those tremors and blasts were the result of seismic activity, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Flammable devices found on Centre County Courthouse, sheriff’s office roofs

This is right down the road from me. I didn't experience anything but talked to a few friends Bellefonte way and a couple of them said their houses shook and scared the piss outta them. Understandably so, as we don't get anything like this often. Last one I remember was 2012 or so and it shook a couple things loose at my place. Scary stuff when ya aren't used to it.

Local news says 1.1 magnitude "tectonic event".

a reply to: BlueAjah

Could it be fracking?

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: BlueAjah

Could it be fracking?

That was my first thought as well, seems there's been some things happening since fracking began in England they've had to stop a few times because of tremors

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: BlueAjah

Could it be fracking?

That seems like a good possibility. They do have fracking in that county.

originally posted by: Sabrechucker
a reply to: skunkape23

Thank's, I never knew some we're recovered. Darn kids

I seem to recall reading they accounted for more in the recovery than they identified had gone missing. The story never added up either way.

a reply to: BlueAjah

Could be in relation to continental plate grinding due to gravity anomolies well known in Pennsylvania.

gsa.confex.com...>abstract

a reply to: ALSTA

Wow. I never heard of that before! I am going to look into that tonight when I have more time.
Thank you!

another link

a reply to: BlueAjah

No probs, if you Google Pennsylvania gravity anomolies theres interesting reading there.

a reply to: BlueAjah

I was wondering about old minining as well. I grew up in an old mining area in England. Very very occasionally an old mine tunnel would collapse and we would get quakes (i know, in the UK!) that would range from roughly 1 to just over 3 magnitude. As Pennsylvania is riddled with old mines, it is certainly a strong possibility.

a reply to: BlueAjah

Probably somebody unauthorized or illegally fracking a well, still a lot of wells there in Pennsylvania, Got to get every last drop. People have been hearing those explosions for years. Instead of announcing it, They probably just do it and figure most people won't notice or pay attention.

looking at ancient layers of bedrock ….




notice that the central Pennsylvania has a definite boundary line of different soils/bedrock composition running right in the area of all the commotion in central PA --- the marked difference between the Appalachian=(blonde) and the Grenville=(green) tectonic features


increase the map size as you need to see and read the jpg image

the many mines, wells, caverns which are nearer the surface is likely the cause of the sounds...but the changes going on in the deeper strata are the reasons that are causing those mines/wells/caves to shift around or collapse



? whats causing the deeper strata to buckle/move/stress ? thus causing the mines/wells/caves to produce anomalies?

the Mantle heating up & the Earth Core setting up hot-spots ? under the north American craton ? seems logical 2-me with the global ring-of-fire so active with Lava & EQs galore worldwide !