An earthquake has shaken homes and people’s nerves across north Georgia. It was strongly felt in Ellijay shortly after 9 a.m. Saturday.
Gilmer County Emergency Management (EMA) reported that a 4.1 magnitude quake originated near Greenback, Tenn., and was felt in Georgia, as well as some parts of South Carolina.
The Eastern Tennessee seismic zone is one of the most active earthquake areas in the Southeast, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
“East of the Rockies, an earthquake can be felt over an area as much as 10 times larger than a similar magnitude earthquake on the West Coast,” USGS stated on its website. “A magnitude 4.0 eastern U.S. earthquake typically can be felt at many places as far as 100 km (60 miles) from where it occurred, and it infrequently causes damage near its source.”
On a Times-Courier Facebook post alerting community members of the quake, many people shared where they felt the ground shake and their homes rumble.
“I knew it was an earthquake, but I only felt it for five or six seconds,” Sherry Hudgins commented. “My brother and his wife are in Blue Ridge … and said it lasted about one minute. They live in Tennessee, and her neighbor called to tell her they had an earthquake at home.”
Helen Taylor commented, “Yes, I live off Whitepath Road. Cabin really shook for about 10 seconds!”
No injuries or damages were reported, according to the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office. They also alerted their Facebook followers about the incident with a hilarious post that gained hundreds of likes, comments and shares.
“BREAKING: The Earth just tried to yeet us off again,” the GCSO Facebook post joked Saturday morning. “Yes, that was an earthquake you just felt. No, you’re not losing your mind. Yes, your cat is still judging you for panicking.”
Gilmer EMA worked to investigate the severity of the quake. EMA Deputy Director Al Cash spoke to a contact in Ten Mile, Tenn., which is about 15 miles from the epicenter, and was told there was no damage or injuries reported there either.