The Associated Press
4/29/03 6:45 AM
ATLANTA (AP) -- A 4.5 magnitude earthquake centered in northern Alabama rattled windows and bookshelves around the South early Tuesday.
The rare Southern quake, which occurred at about 5 a.m., was centered near the Alabama-Georgia line, 27 miles northwest of Rome, Ga., according to the U.S. Geological Survey's Web site.
The quake was felt as far away as North Carolina and Kentucky. Emergency officials said they had not heard any reports of serious damage.
In Atlanta, about 160 miles from the epicenter, the quake moved dishes and pictures on shelves.
"My whole house shook, I could feel the whole wave go north to south," said Barry Goodno, a Georgia Tech structural engineering professor who specializes in earthquakes. "Everything was rattling through the room. It was not what I expected in Georgia.
"It's the kind of motion that could weaken structures or cause further damage," Goodno said. "It's not something to be overlooked. This could be a precursor, it could be a one-time release of energy, it could be an indication of things to come for several weeks."
Carolyn Parker of Gadsden, Ala., says the earthquake lasted about 45 seconds and woke her up.
"At first I thought it was like thunder," she told WSB-TV. "Then it was a lot heavier. It rattled the windows.
"My husband jumped out of bed. He said he thought it was like the end of the world or something. He ran outside."
Nick Jebeles of Remlap, Ala., said he and his wife also were awakened.
"I went out on my back porch because I thought it was a tornado, but the weather was fine," he said.
Remlap, Alabama, got it's name from settlers from Palmer, Alabama. They liked their old home so much that they wanted to name it Palmer also, but since the name was already taken, they called their new home Remlap. Palmer spelled backwards.
4.5? I don't even feel those out here. The building shakes worse if you turn the stereo up loud.