NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — On Thursday, Tennessee will shake things up in the name of earthquake preparedness.
More than 435,000 individuals, school districts, and other groups in Tennessee are registered to take part in a nationwide earthquake drill known as the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. The goal is to raise awareness about seismic risk in places like the Volunteer State and ensure people are prepared.
Tennessee has two active seismic zones: the New Madrid Seismic Zone near the western part of the state, and the Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone.
“We have earthquakes all the time that can be felt in local areas,” Dr. Kent Moran, a research associate at the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at the University of Memphis, said.
What makes the Hunter’s Moon so super this year? Tennessee experienced a series of strong earthquakes between 1811 and 1812 that originated along the New Madrid Seismic Zone. The quakes were strong enough to form Reelfoot Lake in the northwest corner of Tennessee and were felt along the east coast.
Most recently, a 2.8 magnitude earthquake was felt in Tiptonville on Sunday, Oct. 13. There have been four recorded quakes felt in that area just within the past seven days, according to earthquaketrack.com .
Moran told News 2 the geology of Tennessee and the tectonic plate it sits on makes it easy for seismic waves to travel.
“The tectonic plate that Tennessee resides in is very efficient at transmitting seismic waves,” Moran said. “For instance, early this spring, there was a magnitude 4.7 [earthquake] in New Jersey that was a multi-state event because it’s on the same plate [as Tennessee] and has the same conditions and was transmitted to a [multitude] of states, where in the west in California, their geology is such where it limits the distance seismic waves can travel.”
Federal money to help states hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton nears $2 billion Paleoseismic evidence suggests the New Madrid Seismic Zone generates magnitude 7 to 8 earthquakes in 500-year intervals, but Tennessee could still experience strong and possibly damaging earthquakes at any time. Since they come without warning, experts said it’s important to know what to do before one strikes.
On Thursday, Oct. 17, a total of 435,789 Tennesseans are registered to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. At 10:17 a.m., participants will take part in an earthquake drill where they will “drop, cover, and hold on.”
Moran emphasized the importance of having an earthquake emergency plan in place which should look similar to an emergency plan for severe weather.
“What hurts people in a natural disaster is not being prepared or not knowing how to react to a natural disaster,” Moran said. “That’s what gets people hurt or makes the damage worse, so to speak. Preparing for any natural disaster will prepare you for all natural disasters.”
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For more tips on preparing for an earthquake and a list of supplies to keep on hand, click here.
Any Tennessean can participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. To register for the event, follow this link.
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