Small earthquake shakes central Virginia

ASHLAND, Va. (AP) -- The U.S. Geological Survey says there was a small earthquake central Virginia.

Paul Caruso, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center, said by telephone that a magnitude 2.2 earthquake occurred around 6:22 a.m. Thursday about 11 miles northwest of Ashland in Hanover County. He says there have been a few reports of people feeling the earthquake nearby in Beaverdam.

Caruso says quakes of this size are rarely felt and aren't expected to cause damage.

Dominion Virginia Power said in a statement that the quake wasn't felt at its North Anna nuclear power station in adjacent Louisa County. The company says both units there are operating safely at full power.