ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Metro Atlanta residents were startled on Saturday morning as an earthquake from Tennessee shook several nearby states.

The quake’s epicenter was near Greenback, about 30 miles southwest of Knoxville. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), it happened at 9:04 a.m. and had an estimated magnitude of 4.1.

EN ESPAÑOL: Sismo de magnitud 4.1 sacude Tennessee, norte de Georgia y Carolina del Norte

People from all over metro Atlanta have called Atlanta News First, saying the quake shook their homes.

Earthquakes aren’t necessarily uncommon across Georgia, as minor tremors have been reported at least a dozen times across the state since 2020 — three of which were in or around north Georgia.

No local governments have reported damage from the earthquake.

USGS Research Geophysicist William Yeck said the quake happened in the Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone, which is made up of several small, deep fault lines. This earthquake’s epicenter was about 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, below the ground.

“We do expect for earthquakes to happen here, so we know they can happen, but they just happen so rarely that people just aren’t used to experiencing them,” he said.

More than 40,000 people called the USGS to report the earthquake, even as far south as Macon. Yeck said earthquakes in the eastern U.S. tend to travel further than those in the west because the rock is older and denser, acting as a better carrier for seismic waves.

The USGS says there’s a 5% chance of an aftershock with a magnitude of 4 or larger in the next week.

This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First as we learn more.

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