4.1-magnitude earthquake hits Tennessee, felt in Atlanta
The Brief
A rare earthquake was felt in Atlanta and western Tennessee after striking near Greenback, Tennessee Saturday morning.
There's no word yet on injuries or damage.
A 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck Tennessee Saturday morning and was felt as far as Atlanta and western North Carolina.
What we know
The U.S. Geological Survey said it happened shortly after 9 a.m. ET near Greenback, Tennessee, which is about 30 miles south of Knoxville. That's about 125 northeast of Atlanta.
New stations in Georgia and North Carolina reported feeling tremors from the quake.
FOX 5 Atlanta meteorologist Alex Forbes said although aftershocks are possible, it's not likely they'll be felt in Atlanta.
What we don't know
There's no word yet on damage or injuries, though earthquakes of this magnitude typically don't cause damage.
The backstory
Earthquakes are not uncommon in the region. The Eastern Tennessee seismic zone is one of the most active in the Southeast and extends across parts of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.
Two tremors struck in December 2018. One was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Decatur, Tennessee, which is south of Knoxville. It shook homes as far away as Atlanta.
Another earthquake struck a few days later with a magnitude of 3.0. Its epicenter was about two miles (four kilometers) southeast of Mascot, near Knoxville. It also was felt in parts of Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina.
The Source
This report includes information from FOX 5 meteorologist Alex Forbes, the U.S. Geological Survey and The Associated Press.
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