“Earthquakes frequently occur in Tennessee because the state’s eastern and western areas sit along seismic zones where earthquake activity happens more frequently – the East Tennessee Seismic Zone and the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ).
Contents
How often do earthquakes happen in Tennessee?
Earthquakes large enough to be felt occur approximately once a year in the ETSZ. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that earthquakes as large as magnitude 7.5 are possible in the ETSZ. Events of magnitude 5–6 are estimated to occur once every 200 to 300 years.
Is Tennessee on a fault line?
Tennessee is in two seismic zones, the New Madrid and the East Tennessee zone.
When was the last major earthquake in Tennessee?
Apart from the 1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes, only three major events have struck the state of Tennessee, in 1843, 1865, and 1895. Several minor events have taken place as well.
1865 Memphis earthquake.
| Memphis | |
|---|---|
| UTC time | 1865-08-17 15:00 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | August 17, 1865 |
| Magnitude | 4.7 Mfa |
What fault line runs through TN?
New Madrid Seismic Zone
Earthquakes that occur in the New Madrid Seismic Zone potentially threaten parts of eight American states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.
Why is Tennessee having so many earthquakes?
“Earthquakes frequently occur in Tennessee because the state’s eastern and western areas sit along seismic zones where earthquake activity happens more frequently – the East Tennessee Seismic Zone and the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ).
Why do earthquakes occur in Tennessee?
Earthquakes frequently occur in Tennessee because the Volunteer State has two seismic zones — the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) in the west and the East Tennessee Seismic Zone in the east.
Where is the fault in Tennessee?
Middle Tennessee actually sits between two different seismic zones, the New Madrid Seismic Zone and the East Tennessee Seismic Zone. The New Madrid Seismic Zone extends from Northeastern Arkansas into West Tennessee, Southeastern Missouri, Western Kentucky, and Southern Illinois.
Does Tennessee get tornadoes?
Here’s why. Overnight tornadoes strike Tennessee more than anywhere else in the United States. The Volunteer State also has the most nighttime tornado fatalities in the country.
Is Memphis TN on a fault line?
Memphis has a dense urban population near faults capable of producing major earthquakes. Memphis lies within the New Madrid seismic zone, which is the most seismically active and well-studied region in the Central and Eastern U.S.
Where is the New Madrid fault line in Tennessee?
The New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ), located in the central Mississippi River Valley, is known for its historically devastating earthquakes of 1811–1812 and its continued seismicity (Figure 1; Penick, 1981; Csontos and Van Arsdale, 2008). Lake County is a small, rural, county in northwestern Tennessee (Figure 1).
What is the strongest earthquake in Tennessee?
The strongest earthquake ever recorded in East Tennessee was a 4.7-magnitude in 1973, with an epicenter in Alcoa. 4.1-magnitude in 1956 – Claiborne Co. 4.1-magnitude in 1913 – Grainger Co. 3.8-magnitude in 1997 – Claiborne Co.
Does Tennessee have hurricanes?
Hurricanes do not occur in Tennessee in their full capacity, however, Tennessee does get the residual rain and wind that comes from a weakened hurricane, also known as a tropical storm or depression.
What is the only US state to never have an earthquake?
According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Information Center, every state in the U.S. has experienced an earthquake of one kind or another. It lists Florida and North Dakota as the two states with the fewest earthquakes.
What two states have the fewest earthquakes?
Florida and North Dakota are the states with the fewest earthquakes. Antarctica has the least earthquakes of any continent, but small earthquakes can occur anywhere in the World.
Did Knoxville just have an earthquake?
(WATE) — The United States Geological Survey reported a 2.4 magnitude earthquake southeast of Knoxville just before midnight on Monday. The quake occurred at 11:56 p.m. about 4.3 miles southeast of Knoxville. The USGS reported the depth of 11.74 miles.
Will the New Madrid fault erupt?
Paleoseismic evidence collected in recent decades indicates that strong “earthquake triplets” similar in magnitude to the 1811-12 temblors have occurred approximately every 500 years along the New Madrid fault and are likely to happen again.
Is Chattanooga on a fault line?
The East Tennessee fault line, which runs from Chattanooga, through Knoxville and into North Carolina, is only part of a larger seismic zone, and it’s pretty active, Whaley said. But there’s no need for residents to panic.
Where are US fault lines?
The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) in the Central United States, comprising Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee, also has the potential to produce large, destructive quakes—as it did in the winter of 1811-1812.
Where is the safest place to go during an earthquake?
Stay inside if you are inside and outside if you are outside. Move away from buildings, utility wires, sinkholes, and fuel and gas lines. The greatest danger from falling debris is just outside doorways and close to outer walls of buildings. Go to an open area away from trees, telephone poles, and buildings.
Has Nashville ever had an earthquake?
The largest earthquake in Nashville:
this year: 2.3 in Unionville, Tennessee, United States.
