Last updated: 6 p.m.
No one knows for sure, but by 6 p.m. Friday, it was confirmed that the military was training in its Ocala National Forest bombing range. But it’s still not clear if the source of the rattling was from sonic booms or from live ordinance. The military isn’t saying either way.
At about 9:30 this morning the ground shook in Flagler County very briefly, reportedly from the Hammock in the north to Bunnell in the south. Windows rattled. Roofs rumbled. Usually the shaking can be traced to a source–a space shuttle returning to Cape Canaveral or Navy bombing exercises in the Ocala National Forest.
Troy Harper, director of emergency services in Flagler County, said inquiries through the United States Geological Survey, which keeps track of earthquakes, the National Weather Service and the state Division of Emergency Management produced no hints as to why whatever took place happened. The Emergency Operations Center received close to a dozen calls about it from county residents.
Later in the day the county confirmed with the Navy that training exercises were taking place at the Pinecastle Impact Range in the national forest. Sometimes, Harper said, pilots–who make wide turns over the ocean–break the sound barrier, even though they’re not supposed to. “They had no information of anybody coming and saying they did break the sound barrier,” Harper said, referring to military liaison contacts. “We don’t have confirmation but it does make us lean more toward a sonic boom.”
On the other hand, Harper said, no one reported the sound or sight of jets, either, which usually accompanies sonic booms.
Most of the county’s politicians were gathered this morning at the Agricultural Extension Center near the county fairgrounds for another day-long installment of an economic development summit. They all heard the roof shake there this morning. The county spokesman fielded and made calls about it, but learned nothing more than Harper did in the morning.
The county was unaware of Navy exercises at the time, either at the Ocala forest or offshore. Military aircraft are not in the habit of exceeding the speed of sound above civilian areas. While an earthquake has not been entirely ruled out, Harper said, it is unlikely to be the source of the shaking.
elaygee says
Sonic boom from Navy jets flying over the coast.
The Truth says
There was no sonic boom that I heard when this occurred around 9:30am. My house was shaking and windows were rattling for about 2-3 seconds. I notice the booms and always assume it’s the military practices but no booms were heard this time here in Palm Coast.
Jojo says
I felt it. This was no sonic boom or Ocala bombing run. This definitely was a tremor lastinf about 2 seconds. The corner of one side of my house had a cracking sound.
While I;m here, we need to tell the Navy to go somewhere else with their practice bombing runs. Florida is sand and these explosions I feel can create sink holes. You can’t tell me that this is good for the environment. I do feel the tremors from the bombing runs andc cracks are developing on my outer walls.
Pamela Andrews says
This happened last week as well and no one said anything about it…
Pamela Andrews says
my face book post on the 9th
Pamela Andrews says
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Pamela Andrews I heard one yesterday…what was that?
March 9 at 11:32am · LikeUnlike
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Larry Seeley Dont know …I checked and couldn’t find anything…Someone knocking on your door? lol..
March 9 at 11:40am · LikeUnlike
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Pamela Andrews no …
it was a earthshaking sonic boom sound?????
wonder if they are doing something they don’t want us to know about…would surprise me in the least…
March 9 at 11:44am · LikeUnlike
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Larry Seeley Fires anywhere near you…Sometimes when large ground transforers blow they sound like a sonic boom..
March 9 at 11:47am · LikeUnlike
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Pamela Andrews just the ones south in Brevard….wonder if that will affect the landing
March 9 at 11:48am · LikeUnlike
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Jojo says
I watched a documentary on TV a while back about that island off Puerto Rico that sued the Navy over practice bombing runs on the island for many years. The island inhabitants had a larger than normal cancer rate for the population.
Why are they even practicing that here considering the consequences to our health and then having to fight the insurance companies if we develop a sink hole. Better check your homeowners policy for sink hole damage. We need to get together on this folks. It’s our health and homes that’s involved.
Who knows, this could be an aftershock or the ground settling from these bombs constantly being dropped. MY God, I can hear the ground shake from here?
FoxFan says
Oh no its the end times as predicted by glenn beck
KB says
The Navy has been having practice bombings in Florida for 70 years and there hasn’t been a problem. They aren’t dropping nuclear bombs, so there probably isn’t any increased cancer risk. Thousands of things cause cancer, many which we don’t even know about. Are you going to stop wearing deodorant too? The military needs to practice before deploying troops to Iraq and Afganistan. There are few unpopulated islands for them to practice on now, and the further away the testing, the more it’s going to cost. I bet you don’t want your taxes to rise for that. Cracks in home foundations are quite common from homes settling. I am sure most homes have them. If there was so seismic activity, then it wasn’t an earthquake. I think people are just getting a little paranoid since the Japan earthquake. No damage was done, no one was hurt, lets move on. It will likely always be a mystery.
Jojo says
O K Sarge K B, people like you make no sense. Don’t turn this into a patriotic thing like dropping agent orange on our troops in Vietnam and denying the cancer was agent orange. Vets are dieing every day from that.
Seventy years ago we were at war and Florida was a lot less populated back then and didn’t know much about cancer. But hey, in this day and age, we should not have to experience our homes shake from bombs being dropped for whatever. Our taxes don’t go up, the military budget goes up, which every American pays to keep us protected – not to experience tremors.
Nancy N. says
I heard it up in Indian Trails…a really loud bang and then my front door really rattled badly in its frame and the whole house kind of rumbled. I thought it must have been a truck or something out on our street.
Bunnell resident says
While an earthquake has not been entirely ruled out, Harper said, it is unlikely to be the source of the shaking.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMMMMMMMMMM
FLYGIRL says
How do we know it was not a UFO? The military and government are constantly telling us they don’t exist. Just like Area 51. I don’t by it! We can send people to space, but we cannot figure out why houses shook and businesses rattled up and down 20 miles of coastline. THEY KNOW DANG IT!!!!!!!! Bombings! GOOD ONE! Sonic Booms…YAH RIGHT! Tremors? Earthquake? Whatever. Who came knockin’ on your doors and windows @ 9:30 AM March 18, 2011? They just don’t want to cause mass panic. Why don’t all of you look up on you tube black coffins in the hundreds of thousands in GA, AZ, CA. That should stir up some panic. You don’t see that hitting the news! Republicans, Democrats, Liberals…they are all alike! CHEATERS AND LIARS! Stop watching the news, and reading this garbage that they choose to call “news”! Love to you all! <3
Jojo says
Check this out: http://geomag.usgs.gov/realtime/
If you go to Stennis, Ms the closest one to us and see that at 2:30 something happened on the chart.
Now go back 5 hours Which is UTC time (World Time) which would be 9:30 our time which maybe explains the tremor?
Jojo says
That’s the difference this time, I heard no bang just a violent tremor for 2 to 3 seconds.
beta says
Happens quite frequently. Today was probably a sonic boom according to my 85 yr old veteran and engineer. Although many times what I’ve herd was not like today.
andrew says
something similar happened a year ago, march 10th, around 5pm, heard all over the tampa bay area and was reported on BayNews 9
Anonymous says
We felt it also at 9.30 while working outside in the C section of Palm Coast. In these times of earth moving uncertainty our military should be forthcoming and give us the peace of mine that was one of their exercises at least, if so. Do not just left us wondering. Then if something like “Cumbre Vieja volcano” chances of collapsing into the ocean in the Canary islands in front of Africa expected to generate a 100 foot Tsunami in the Atlantic heading to our America’s coast then we can be prepared and not also left wondering. If that cataclism was to happen we will have between 5 to 6 hours to get to higher ground in Florida taking in consideration that Palm Coast is only 25.97′ above sea level, Orlando 106′, Ocala 104′, Gainsville depending were is 70 to 170′ above sea level and I would not stop until reaching Valdosta Ga with 229 above sea level. That drive will take us 2 to 2.5 hours or more and taking back roads I-95 and 75 will backed up with traffic trying to evacuate. Please scroll down to future threat in this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbre_Vieja. Is just a matter of being aware of potential cataclisms.
BEEBob says
Anonymous, when Cumbre Viejo happens we are all dead! Every road going west will be a parking lot and people will be killing each other. Personally I prefer to stay home with my family and all die together. I bet it takes 5 hours or more to get out of Flagler county. And if you make it what will you come back to? This will be an entire east coast event. Imagine millions of people with no place to live. No food. Look at Japan. This will be 10 times worse.
Anita says
Having experienced sonic booms, I don’t think this was a sonic boom. There was a loud rumble that lasted a few seconds more than a sonic boom, and the earth moved under my feet moved (and no, I wasn’t reading, “For whom the bell tolls” or listening to Carole King. either). The Japanese quake lasted longer and was nine times more intense than our little tremor, but this was enough for me. What a gutsy people.
Big D says
my house fell down
elaygee says
Is there something in the water in flagler that creates so much idiocy? it was a freakin sonic boom, happens ALL the time. Your event was NOT special. I’m surprised one of you hasn’t suggested an alien invasion since V was on the night before.
Jojo says
O K, it was an alien invasion numbnuts.