Earthquake rattles Franklin, Marion

Hodges - A mild earthquake Monday night was strong enough to rattle homes and nerves in parts of Franklin and Marion counties.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the 2.6 magnitude earthquake that occurred at 8:47 p.m. was centered six miles southwest of Hodges and nine miles north of Hamilton.

"We had a few floors that shook. It was really mild," said Roy Gober, director of the Franklin Emergency Management Agency. "It was strong enough, though, to get some people excited."

Some callers to the Franklin 911 emergency dispatch center reported feeling what they believed was an explosion near their home Monday night.

Gober said only a few people called Monday night to report the earthquake. "We had a storm cloud coming through about that time and a lot of people didn't realize that there had been an earthquake," Gober said. "It was not until Tuesday morning when word got out about us having an earthquake that people really started talking about it."

No damage was reported.

Mike Evans, who lives near Hodges, said he was watching a movie and wearing headphones when the tremor struck.

"I heard it, but I didn't feel it. I thought it was thunder," he said.

Evans said when he began talking to other southwest Franklin residents Tuesday morning, several reported feeling the earthquake.

"People who live closer to the center of the quake said it shook their house," he said.

Dennis Sherer can be reached at 740-5746 or dennis.sherer@timesdaily.com.