A 5.1-magnitude earthquake hit about 2 miles from the town of Sparta, North Carolina, early Sunday, along the state's border with Virginia, according to the preliminary report from the US Geological Survey.

It's the strongest quake to shake the state since 1926, according to the North Carolina Geological Survey.

The quake, whose epicenter is in Alleghany County, was felt as far away as South Carolina and Georgia, according to social media posts. The USGS received reports from more than 300 miles away, in Atlanta.