Tennessee Earthquake Hazards

The western part of Tennessee was shaken strongly by the New Madrid, Missouri, earthquake of 1811 - 1812 and by earthquakes in 1843 and 1895. The area has also experienced minor shocks. Additional activity has occurred in the eastern part of the State, near the North Carolina border.

The three great earthquakes that occurred in the Upper Mississippi region near New Madrid in 1811 - 1812 rank among the most significant events in U.S. history. maximum intensity for each of the large shocks is estimated at XII. Topographic changes were noted over an area of 75,00 to 130,00 square kilometers; the total area shaken was at least 5 million square kilometers. Damage was very small for such great earthquakes because of sparse population. Chimneys were knocked down in many places in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri. The most seriously affected area was characterized by raised and sunken lands, fissures, sinks, sand blows, and large landslides. The most typical sunken land is Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee. This lake is from 12 to 16 kilometers in length and from 3 to 5 kilometers in width. The submergence ranged from 1.5 to perhaps 6 meters, although greater depths were reported.

A major earthquake represents what would potentially be the largest natural disaster ever to occur in the state of Tennessee. Some estimates suggest that a major earthquake in the New Madrid zone would be a nationwide catastrophic event, largely due to the interruption in transportation, communications, fuel supply, and the economic consequences that would be experienced as a result of damage to the infrastructure.

The following links provide local and statewide earthquake hazard information:

State Emergency Management Website
http://tn.gov/tema/article/tema-other-threats

State Geological Survey Website
https://www.tn.gov/environment/section/geo-geology

USGS State Earthquake Website
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/byregion/tennessee.php