Residents report mysterious loud booms and shaking across Eastern Shore

Residents across Accomack and Northampton Counties reported feeling and hearing a series of loud booms and vibrations early Thursday afternoon, with social media posts beginning around 1:44 p.m. flooding with similar accounts from multiple towns.

Ann Beamer Williams was among the first to post publicly, asking if others in Onancock heard the noise. Dozens of responses quickly followed from nearby communities, including Belle Haven, Wachapreague, Onley, Exmore, Eastville, and Machipongo.

“It shook the house!” wrote Amy Waller Hartman. Shannon Maige Isdell, who lives on Sturgis Pond Road in Onancock, said, “It shook our house! I actually looked outside because I thought someone hit it.”

Leslie L. Parker in Wachapreague said she believed the incident may have been an earthquake. April Thornton Woods in Belle Haven noted the noise occurred a second time at approximately 1:49 p.m., saying it made their office doors shake.

Reports came in from as far south as Oyster and Eastville in Northampton County and as far north as Parksley and Accomac. Some residents, such as Liz Greene, also reported observing unusual smoke or fog along the roadways around the same time.

Speculation has been offered that it was either a small earthquake or perhaps Navy weapons systems tests being conducted off the coast. According to the US Navy’s website, increased noise is possible off in the areas surrounding the Naval Air Systems Command Atlantic Test Range through the month of August. Representatives from the naval air station investigate all phone and written inquiries related to a noise event within one business day, and will follow-up with the person reporting the disturbance.

Naval Air Station Patuxent River maintains a comprehensive Noise Management Program to identify and mitigate noise impacts to the community by responding to noise disturbance reports.

Citizens are encouraged to express their concerns regarding noise generated from the naval air station by contacting the station’s Noise Management Team by phone, email or mail. The Toll-free noise hotline is 1-866-819-9028 and the email is [email protected].

The U.S. Geological Survey has still not reported any seismic activity occurring Thursday in our area.

Residents who experienced the incident are encouraged to report their observations to local emergency management or the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Did You Feel It?” site.