NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee isn't known for its earthquakes, but experts say a fault line near Memphis could cause major damage "at any time."
On Thursday, Tennessee will participate in the ninth annual Great Central U.S. Shakeout, an educational event across 15 states. Participants will learn about earthquake dangers and how to protect themselves.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is asking Tennesseans to protect themselves. TEMA Assistant Director of Preparedness Cecil Whaley said earthquakes are a greater threat than you might expect.
“A major earthquake could happen at any time in Tennessee,” Whaley said. “Community preparedness depends on the readiness of everyone when the ground starts shaking."
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West Tennessee is one of the areas above the New Madrid Fault Line, a seismic zone that caused several huge historical earthquakes.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 1811 earthquake that created Reelfoot Lake also caused a magnitude 9.0 earthquake in the area that would later become Memphis. That's the same magnitude as the earthquake that hit Japan in 2011, causing a devastating tsunami.
Last year, East Tennessee experienced a number of small earthquakes. According to UT professor Robert Hatcher, we live in one of the most active quake zones in the United States. It's called the East Tennessee Seismic Zone, a band that stretches from northeastern Alabama to southwestern Virginia.
In December 2018, Hatcher told 10News that the area has a history of earthquakes, but the risk of a larger one is very small.
ShakeOut events help people prepare for earthquakes large and small. Participants will practice the "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" technique, dropping to the ground, taking cover beneath a sturdy desk or table and holding on until the shaking stops.
TEMA will broadcast its ShakeOut event live beginning at 10:10, a.m. central time, on Thursday, Oct. 17, on the agency’s Facebook page.
People and businesses can register to practice an earthquake drill for ShakeOut here. To date, more than 556,000 Tennesseans have registered.