East Tennessee jolted by strongest earthquake to hit area in 45 years
Wednesday got off to a shaky start, literally.
It's been 45 years since Tennesseans have felt an earthquake as strong as the one that rattled the eastern part of the state and surrounding areas early Wednesday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey confirms.
At 4:14 a.m., a magnitude 4.4 earthquake registered about 7 miles northeast of Decatur, Tennessee and could be felt as far as Atlanta — almost 200 miles away. About 13 minutes later, a 3.3 magnitude aftershock shook the same area of Meigs County.
More:Earthquakes rock East Tennessee more frequently than most of the U.S.
Two more aftershocks followed about an hour later, with the first registering 1.3 on on the Richter Scale at 5 a.m. and the second at 1.4 a little more than a half hour later.
The USGS said an earthquake of that magnitude is strong enough to wake those sleeping in the area and for some to hear "cracking sounds" from walls during a sensation described "like a heavy truck striking a building."
'Pictures falling off the walls':East Tennesseans react to strongest earthquake in decades
Those in East Tennessee and surrounding areas in Middle Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina took to social media to offer their own descriptions of what the earthquake felt like.
The earthquake's 4.4 measurement makes it the second-strongest in East Tennessee's recorded history and strongest to shake the region in decades. The record is held by a 4.7 earthquake near Maryville in 1973, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.
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According to the USGS, the Eastern Tennessee seismic zone is one of the most active earthquake areas in the Southeast. The zone extends across Tennessee and northwestern Georgia into northeastern Alabama.
Nuclear assets unscathed
Oak Ridge Environmental Management reported the Oak Ridge Reservation's nuclear cleanup sites came through the earthquake undamaged.
"In keeping with our procedures following natural events like this – including tornadoes, high winds, or excessive rain – federal and contractor personnel were dispatched to inspect facilities and areas to confirm that no damage occurred," OREM spokesman Ben Williams said. "Due to the earthquake’s relatively low intensity, we do not see any signs of impact or expect it to have any effect on any contaminated areas."
National Nuclear Security Administration spokesman Steve Wyatt said Y-12 National Security Complex was not impacted either.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is reporting its facilities, including the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant in Spring City and Sequoyah Nuclear Plant in Soddy-Daisy, were not impacted and "are continuing to operate safely."
"TVA facilities are designed to withstand seismic events," a tweet from the TVA said. "(They) were not impacted by Wednesday morning’s earthquake... Our top priority remains the safety of the public."
The TVA says facilities are currently conducting further inspections as a precaution.
There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Reactions varied
Judy Day, a University of Tennessee professor, took to Twitter to say she felt the earthquake this morning, but thought her washing machine had just started a vigorous spin cycle.
Shea Kidd-Houze, UT Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Dean of Students, thought her neighbors might be getting a little too rowdy while taking out their trash.
Others weren't sure if what they were feeling was even real. Monica Porter, of Oak Ridge, said she woke up for the earthquake but thought she was dreaming at first.
Mark Wagoner, a local student, said he was not too happy to be awakened by an earthquake on the morning of a final exam.
Some people's pets appeared to be equally rattled by the earthquake.
Pam Wells Rasmussen, who works in procurement at Leidos, said she felt the earth move all the way in Halls, and so did her parakeet.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.