M4.2 earthquake 3 km SE of Vonore, Tennessee
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck 3 km SE of Vonore, Tennessee on Fri, Mar 27, 1987, 2:29 AM EST (07:29 UTC), 20 km (12 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 4.2 (Md, duration), light
- Magnitude from
- SE
- Local time
- UTC
- 1987-03-27 07:29:30 UTC
- Depth
- 19.5 km (12.1 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 35.570° N, 84.210° W
- Region
- Tennessee
- Strongest shaking
- IV, light shaking
- PAGER alert
- Green
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
Magnitude estimates
Different scales measure different things and differ by a few tenths. The USGS marks one as preferred, and it is the one this page uses.
| Mag. | Scale | Computed by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2 | Md, duration | SE | Preferred · Reviewed |
| 4.3 | mb, body-wave | USGS National Earthquake Information Center | Reviewed · 1 stations |
| 4.3 | mb, body-wave | USGS historic United States catalog | Final |
What happened
The USGS’s account of the effects of this earthquake.
Slight damage (VI) at Friendsville, Greenback, Louisville and Tallassee. Felt (V) at Benton, Delano, Harriman, Jacksboro, Philadelphia, Sweetwater, Tellico Plains, Turtletown and Vonore. Also felt (V) at Epworth and Mineral Bluff, Georgia. Felt in much of eastern Tennessee and in parts of Georgia and North Carolina.
Maximum observed Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) VI
From the USGS event page for se603077. U.S. Geological Survey text and figures are in the public domain.
Shaking
The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.
- Strongest estimated
- IV, light shaking
- Peak ground acceleration
- 5.4% of gravity
- Peak ground velocity
- -0.1 cm/s
- Map
- Automatic
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
Estimated impact
The USGS PAGER system estimates deaths and economic losses from the shaking and the population and buildings exposed to it.
- Alert level
- Green: little or no damage or loss of life expected
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Depth from
- From location
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 7 in the 60 days after this one and 3 in the 30 days before it.
After
- 4.22 km SSE of Vonore, Tennessee · 14436 days ago · 19 km deep · 2 km away
- 1.53 km SSE of Vonore, Tennessee · 14436 days ago · 17 km deep · 3 km away
- 1.55 km SSE of Vonore, Tennessee · 14436 days ago · 15 km deep · 3 km away
- 2.73 km SSE of Vonore, Tennessee · 14423 days ago · 17 km deep · 2 km away
- 1.618 km NNW of Dahlonega, Georgia · 14417 days ago · 12 km deep · 100 km away
- 1.817 km WSW of Epworth, Georgia · 14408 days ago · 15 km deep · 80 km away
- 2.01 km NW of Niota, Tennessee · 14404 days ago · 12 km deep · 32 km away
Before
Earthquakes todayTennessee earthquakesLive radar here
Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event se603077 (also filed as ushis4018, usp00033p6, atlas19870327072930). Read Sun, Oct 4, 2026, 9:25 AM UTC.