NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Over the weekend, a 4.1-magnitude earthquake shook parts of East Tennessee, northern Georgia and western North Carolina.

According to Brian Blake, the executive director of the Central United States Earthquake Consortium, the earthquake that impacted East Tennessee on Saturday morning was the largest in that area in more than 30 years. He said that he's not surprised it happened because that part of the state is an active seismic zone called the East Tennessee Seismic Zone.

"Earthquakes there are happening there all the time," Blake said. "The East Tennessee Seismic Zone is capable of producing magnitude six or greater earthquakes, which could be very damaging."

Blake said the East Tennessee Seismic Zone and the New Madrid Seismic Zone in West Tennessee could produce a destructive earthquake at any time.

Blake added that if a powerful earthquake struck either side of the state, it would be felt over a large area due to Tennessee's underlying geology. Tennessee's seismic zones are not along fault lines like those on the West Coast and the exact cause is unknown, Blake added.

At least 45,000 people had reported that they felt the earthquake to the U.S. Geological Survey across at least six states, Blake said.

"Historically, the earthquakes happen on the bookends of the state, so you're there in the middle part [and you] don't expect to see very large earthquakes there," Blake added. "But that doesn't mean you might not feel shaking from one that's happening in the west or the eastern part of the state, and you could even see potentially some minor damage."

Because no one knows when a significant earthquake could affect either seismic zone, Blake advised everyone to be prepared. You should have things that will support you for at least two weeks without electricity or running water.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/tn-earthquake-hot-spots/