Loud ‘booms’ heard across Troup County, surrounding areas remain a mystery

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Readers share experiences, speculate answers

Staff report

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LaGRANGE — The source of several thunderous “booms” reported across Troup County on Monday afternoon remains a mystery.

The sounds of explosions were reported to 911 from all corners of the county, ranging from the Mountville community to the Roanoke Road area to Bartley Road.

A spokesman for Fort Benning in Columbus said he was unaware of any military activity in the area, and a spokesman for Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins could not be reached because of the federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Fort Benning had warned in December about possible sonic booms from Air Force training, but it was set to end Dec. 18, according to a press release.

A forecaster at the National Weather Service in Peachtree City said his office had no record of any atmospheric conditions that could have caused the noises.

A seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey said there is no record of an earthquake in the area, either.

As of this morning, a post on the Daily News’ Facebook page asking who had heard the noises has drawn more than 300 comments. People shared their experiences and speculated to the cause.

One person posting said she heard the noises from Fredonia, Alabama, and a separate person claimed the noises were bombing training in Fredonia, however the Daily News has not been able to confirm the claim.

Another person said similar noises have been reported in Pike County for months. Other commenters claimed to have heard the noises from West Point to northern Troup County near Hogansville and in Pine Mountain.

“We’ve heard them near Pyne/Teaver (Road). Shook my house. I thought it might be (a) train?” posted one user.

Another commented: “Live on Revis Street [sic] hear it like three different times.”

“R. Shafer Heard Campground. Heard it (and) felt it,” one person commented.

One person posted that she lived in Phenix City, Alabama, which is adjacent to Columbus, and had heard no booms.

Reach the LaGrange Daily News at 706-884-7311.