Tennessee · Earthquakes
Tennessee earthquakes today and on record
Earthquakes are rare in Tennessee, but not unknown. The USGS catalog lists 33 of magnitude 3.5 or more since 1900, the largest a magnitude 4.7 in 1973. Below: every quake in the state this week, a map, and the biggest since 1900.
Updated . Data: U.S. Geological Survey.
- Last 24 hours
- 0
- Past 7 days
- 0
- Most recent
- None this week
- Largest on record
- M4.7 (1973)
- M3.5+ since 1900
- 33
- M5+ since 1900
- 0
Earthquakes in Tennessee this week
No earthquakes recorded in this period.
That is normal here. Many years pass without a quake big enough to feel.
Biggest earthquakes in Tennessee since 1900
| Mag | Where | Date | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7 | 1 km NE of Alcoa, Tennessee | Nov 30, 1973 | 3 km |
| 4.5 | 10 km NNE of Friendship, Tennessee | Oct 16, 1918 | 0 km |
| 4.5 | 5 km S of Greeneville, Tennessee | Nov 3, 1928 | 5 km |
| 4.4 | 12 km NNE of Decatur, Tennessee | Dec 12, 2018 | 8 km |
| 4.2 | 3 km W of Tiptonville, Tennessee | Feb 2, 1962 | 4 km |
| 4.2 | 2 km SSE of Vonore, Tennessee | Mar 27, 1987 | 19 km |
| 4.2 | 3 km SE of Vonore, Tennessee | Mar 27, 1987 | 20 km |
| 4.1 | Northeast of Knoxville, Tennessee | Mar 28, 1913 | 0 km |
| 4.1 | 16 km W of New Tazewell, Tennessee | Sep 7, 1956 | 5 km |
| 4.1 | 11 km SE of Ridgely, Tennessee | Jan 8, 1974 | 1 km |
| 4.1 | 21 km SE of Greenback, Tennessee | May 10, 2025 | 25 km |
| 4.0 | Eastern Tennessee | Mar 5, 1904 | 0 km |
Quakes of magnitude 3.5+ by decade
Older decades look quieter partly because there were far fewer seismometers. Counts before about 1970 are incomplete.
Good to know
When was the last earthquake in Tennessee?
None of magnitude 2.5 or more in the past week. The most recent of magnitude 3.5 or more in the long-term catalog was in 2025.
What was the biggest earthquake in Tennessee?
A magnitude 4.7 near Alcoa, Tennessee on November 30, 1973, the largest in the USGS catalog for the state since 1900.
Does Tennessee get earthquakes?
Earthquakes are rare in Tennessee, but not unknown. The USGS catalog lists 33 of magnitude 3.5 or more since 1900, the largest a magnitude 4.7 in 1973. The USGS national hazard map is the best guide to the chance of strong shaking where you live.
Also in Tennessee
Tennessee tornado history · Earthquakes today, nationwide · Did I just feel an earthquake?
Other states
History: USGS earthquake catalog, magnitude 3.5 and up since 1900, matched to the state by location (quakes just offshore count for the nearest state). Live: USGS real-time feeds.