Mild earthquake in Tennessee felt across the Southeast

By Rebekah Riess, Allison Chinchar, CNN

(CNN) — A mild 4.1 magnitude earthquake about 30 miles south of Knoxville, Tennessee, was felt across the southeastern region of the United States Saturday morning from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Atlanta, Georgia; Asheville, North Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina.

The approximately 15-mile-deep quake struck shortly after 9 a.m., according to information from the US Geological Survey.

The earthquake was widely felt, with over 30,000 reports submitted by the public in the first hour after it happened, according to USGS spokeswoman Ayesha Davis.

Because of the geology in the eastern US, seismic waves spread more efficiently than they do in the western part of the country, and earthquakes are felt over a much larger distance and by more people, Davis said.

There is a 5% chance of a magnitude 4 or larger aftershock occurring in the next week, according to USGS Operational Aftershock Forecasts.

The eastern Tennessee seismic zone extends across Tennessee and northwestern Georgia into northeastern Alabama. It is one of the most active earthquake areas in the Southeast.

Although the zone is not known to have had a large earthquake, a few earthquakes there have caused slight damage.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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