M3.9 earthquake Southeastern Tennessee
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake struck in Southeastern Tennessee on Thu, Apr 17, 1913, 11:30 AM GMT-5 (16:30 UTC).
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 3.9 (Mint), minor
- Magnitude from
- EQH
- Local time
- UTC
- 1913-04-17 16:30:00 UTC
- Depth
- Not given
- Epicenter
- 35.300° N, 84.200° W
- Region
- Tennessee
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
What happened
The USGS’s account of the effects of this earthquake.
This earthquake was felt over an elliptical area 45 by 25 miles [about 65 by 40 km] north-northeast to south-southwest in southeastern Tennessee and parts of North Carolina, South Carolina and northeastern Georgia. Wavelike motion of the ground was noted in several places. There were noises like thunder. The effects were most severe in the southeastern corner of Tennessee. At Brasstown, North Carolina, the shock lasted about 30 seconds.
Maximum observed Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) V
Abridged from Earthquake History of the United States, by Jerry L. Coffman, Carl A. von Hake and Carl W. Stover, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Geological Survey, Publication 41-1, Revised Edition (Through 1970), Reprinted 1982 with Supplement (1971-1980), United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1982.
This earthquake, centered in southeastern Tennessee, affected an elliptical area of about 3500 square miles [about 9,000 km2] in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. The intensity was greatest between Ducktown and Kizer. Houses shook and windows and dishes rattled, and it was accompanied by a loud rumbling or roaring noise. Two closely spaced shocks were reported at Coker Creek. Some observers reported a wave-like motion of the ground.
Abridged from Earthquakes in Tennessee and nearby sections of neighboring States 1901 to 1925, by Berlen C. Moneymaker (1957), Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science, v. 32(2), p. 91-105.
From the USGS event page for eqh19130417163000000. U.S. Geological Survey text and figures are in the public domain.
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Location uncertainty
- About 0.0 km horizontally
References for the magnitude and location
The USGS’s notes on how this earthquake’s official magnitude and location were set.
Event added to catalog 11-Jan-2026
References:
Event Time and Location: Coffman, J.L., von Hake, C.A. and Stover, C.W. (1982),
Earthquake History of the United States,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Geological Survey, Publication 41-1, Revised Edition (Through 1970),
Reprinted 1982 with Supplement (1971-1980),
United States Government Printing Office, Washington.
Magnitude: Virginia Tech Seismological Observatory, Blacksburg,
Southeastern United States Earthquake Catalog (SE),
online at http://www.magma.geos.vt.edu/vtso/anonftp/catalog/susn2006cat.txt
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 0 in the 60 days after this one and 0 in the 30 days before it.
None recorded.
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Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event eqh19130417163000000. Read Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 10:46 AM UTC.