Navy Planes Likely Caused Tremors Felt in Ocean City

Zatz

People throughout Ocean City were alarmed Thursday by what they described as shaking and rumbling like an earthquake. The first incident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. but the same tremors happened again three or four more times over the next 45 minutes

. The U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program reported that the tremors were not caused by an earthquake, but instead by a sonic boom. See report. The U.S. Navy later released the following statement:

"Aircraft from Naval Test Wing Atlantic were conducting routine flight testing in the Atlantic Test Ranges this afternoon that included activities which may have resulted in sonic booms. The test wing is critical to the safe test and evaluation of all types of Navy and Marine Corps aircraft in service and in development and is primarily based out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. Other military aircraft, including both Navy and Air Force, also frequently use the ranges for testing and training."