Earthquake Strikes East Tennessee, With Shaking Felt From Atlanta To Asheville

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A 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Tennessee Saturday morning, with reports of shaking felt as far south as Atlanta.

The epicenter of the quake was about 12 miles outside of Greenback, Tennessee, striking at 9:04 a.m. local time Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was widely felt across the region.

While no immediate damage was reported, the quake startled many residents in Tennessee and beyond. Experts note that earthquakes in the eastern United States, including those within the Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone, are often felt across a much larger area than quakes of the same size in the western U.S.

(MORE: Middle Tennessee Hit Hard By Fierce Hailstorm)

The Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone is one of the most seismically active areas in the Southeast, though large quakes are rare. The strongest quake in the region's recorded history was a 4.6 magnitude event in 2003 near Fort Payne, Alabama.

Saturday morning’s quake highlights the challenge of tracking fault lines in the region. Unlike the well-mapped systems in places like California, the deep, ancient bedrock of the Appalachians hides many faults, making it difficult for scientists to link quakes to specific underground features.

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