The sun was shining bright over the Georgia Capitol’s gold dome as it sparkled in the light on August 27, 2022, against the backdrop of downtown Atlanta’s skyline. The scene was picturesque, but the tranquility was soon disrupted by a 4.1-magnitude earthquake that originated in Tennessee. The tremors spread across the southern U.S., waking up families and rattling homes as far as Atlanta on Saturday morning. Luckily, there were no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage.
According to the USGS website, the earthquake began around 9 a.m. EDT, about 12 miles from Greenback, Tennessee, which is approximately 30 miles south of Knoxville. Within the first hour, USGS received over 23,000 reports from the public regarding the earthquake. Meteorologists from television news stations in Georgia and North Carolina also felt the tremors. USGS mentioned a 5% chance of a magnitude 4 or larger aftershock occurring within the next week.
One resident, Gabriela Reilly, was in the middle of making waffles with her husband in Braselton, Georgia, when their entire home started shaking. “Our ceiling fan started shaking for about 10 seconds,” she recalled. “I thought a giant aircraft had flown low right over the neighborhood, but my husband said, ‘No, that was definitely an earthquake!'” Another resident, Jason Pack, was still in bed at his home outside Knoxville when he felt the walls shaking and heard a rumbling loud enough to wake up his family and even the dog started barking.
“In east Tennessee, you’re used to tornadoes and floods, that kind of thing,” Pack said. “It’s unusual to have an earthquake.” Pack, a retired FBI agent now working in crisis communications, emphasized the importance of knowing what to do in case of a larger earthquake. “Even though this one was small, it’s a good reminder — if it had been a big quake, would you know what to do? Drop, cover, and hold on if you’re inside,” he advised. “Stay clear of buildings if you’re outside.”
The southeastern U.S. carries a significant earthquake risk, particularly in the New Madrid Seismic Zone to the west and the East Tennessee Seismic Zone, where Saturday’s earthquake occurred. Since 1950, there have been 15 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or larger within 155 miles of Saturday’s earthquake. The largest was a magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Knoxville in November 1973. More recently, two tremors struck the seismic zone in December 2018, with one shaking homes as far away as Atlanta.
USGS spokeswoman Ayesha Davis explained that seismic waves from earthquakes spread more efficiently in the Eastern U.S. due to the region’s geology, making them felt over a larger distance by more people. This highlights the importance of being prepared and knowing what to do in the event of an earthquake.
In conclusion, the earthquake that rocked Tennessee and spread tremors to Atlanta serves as a reminder of the earthquake risk in the southeastern U.S. Although no injuries or major damage were reported, it is crucial for residents to be prepared and know how to respond in case of a larger earthquake. The event also underscores the significance of understanding the geological factors that contribute to the spread of seismic waves in the Eastern U.S.
