Yes, you read that correctly: an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 on the Richter scale occurred yesterday in the state of Tennessee, with the epicenter located approximately 11 kilometers — or slightly greater than 6.835 miles — north northeast of Decatur in the state of Tennessee.
Earthquake 2018: Epicenter in…Tennessee?!?
Tremors were reported in at least six states, in cities as far away as Atlanta, Huntsville, Nashville, Knoxville and Bowling Green.
As I was in Georgia at the time the earthquake occurred — at 4:14:43 in the morning Eastern Standard Time, to be precise — I felt nothing. Needless to say, there were no reported deaths or injuries as a result; and no airlines issued any travel waivers.
When an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.5 occurred in the state of Georgia on Friday, November 21, 2014 at 3:19:12 in the afternoon Eastern Standard Time — with the epicenter located four miles east-southeast of Varnell; eight miles north-northeast of the self-proclaimed carpet capital of the world known as Dalton; and 83 miles north-northwest of Atlanta — I felt nothing then either.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the Eastern Tennessee seismic zone — which extends across Tennessee and northwestern Georgia into northeastern Alabama — is one of the most active earthquake areas in the Southeast, with the most powerful earthquakes occurring on Friday, November 30, 2003 just south of Knoxville, Tennessee with a magnitude of 4.7; and Tuesday, April 29, 2003 near Fort Payne, Alabama with a magnitude of 4.6.
Summary
Interestingly — despite all of the times I have been to California and the years I have lived in Georgia — the only time I ever felt an actual earthquake in my entire life was early on a Saturday morning in Brooklyn.
Yes, that Brooklyn. The one in New York.
I was awakened by what sounded like an explosion — but what was different about what I experienced was that objects on shelves in the room rattled for a few seconds afterwards. “Was that an earthquake?” was the first thought in my mind, which was still half asleep. Then I thought either a boiler malfunctioned or someone lit an M-80 firework; but neither of those scenarios were not logical. I found out later that day that what happened was indeed a minor earthquake which occurred in upstate New York.
I can hear it from the “Pacific Rimmers” now pertaining to any of the aforementioned earthquakes: That ain’t no earthquake. My grumbling stomach when I am hungry has more of a magnitude than that…
…but all I have to say in response to that is do not blame me, as it ain’t my fault…
Source: The United States Geological Survey.
