A small temblor startled residents near Richmond this week. Over a decade ago, a 5.8 earthquake in Virginia became the most felt quake in the U.S.

While it caught many residents by surprise, Martin Chapman, a geophysics professor at Virginia Tech, said quakes like these happen at least once every year or two.

Earthquakes are not necessarily a rare event in Central Virginia. In 2011, a powerful 5.8 magnitude quake struck in Louisa County. It was felt as far north as Rhode Island and New York City. While it didn’t cause any deaths or major injuries, it did cause $80 million in damage to homes, schools and public buildings in Louisa.