4.1-magnitude earthquake shakes East Tennessee and Knoxville
The earthquake originated near Greenback, Tennessee, which is 30 miles southwest of Knoxville. The USGS indicated the earthquake centered approximately 12.4 miles southeast of Greenback. The earthquake was about 15 miles deep, the USGS says, which is considered a shallow quake.
It was the seventh earthquake with a 4.0 magnitude or greater since 1900 and the first since a 4.4-magnitude quake hit Decatur in 2018. The largest earthquake in East Tennessee since 1900 was a 4.7-magnitude quake in Alcoa in 1973.
The Knoxville Fire Department did not receive any reports of damage, spokesman Mark Wilbanks said, nor did the Knoxville Police Department.
After effects: Will there be an earthquake aftershock? Check the prediction
The earthquake is not unusual. In the past 30 days, Tennessee has recorded 21 earthquakes of lesser magnitudes. In the past year in Tennessee, there were only three others that exceeded a magnitude of 3.0, according to USGS data.
The USGS has already received many reports with reports coming from as far as Asheville, North Carolina.
Knoxville sits in the East Tennessee Seismic Zone, one of the most active earthquake areas in the Southeast United States. The East Tennessee Seismic Zone covers part of Tennessee, northwestern Georgia and into northeastern Alabama. The area is not known to have major earthquakes, but does have seismic activity.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced the Foothills Parkway West (the new section) is closed. It will be inspected by the Federal Highway Administration.
4.7 magnitude – Alcoa (1973)
4.5 magnitude – Greenville (1928)
4.4 magnitude – Decatur (2018)
4.2 magnitude – Vonore (1987)
4.1 magnitude – Greenback (2025)
4.1 magnitude – Luttrell (1913)
4.1 magnitude – New Tazewell (1956)
3.8 magnitude – Tazewell (1997)
3.8 magnitude – Fincastle (2020)
3.7 magnitude – Ducktown (1979)
3.7 magnitude – Tellico Plains (1995)
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: 4.1-magnitude earthquake shakes East Tennessee and Knoxville
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