Earthquake Maps Reveal Higher Risks for Much of U.S.

[starroute]

6. I hadn't realized the Knoxville area was so much at risk

New Madrid is well known, and there was a major earthquake in Charleston in 1886. But Knoxville? Apparently so -- and making it worse is that there are no earthquake building codes in the eastern US, so those areas are completely unprepared.

http://www.wate.com/story/20076108/ut-scientist-says-east-tennessee-could-one-day-see-75-magnitude-earthquake

Hatcher said East Tennessee has the second most active seismic zone in the Eastern United States, but that normally the earthquakes in East Tennessee are smaller, keeping damage to a minimum.

That may not always be the case.

Hatcher said evidence shows there has been a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in the area, but the large earthquake happened hundreds of years ago.

"The people who figure probability on earthquakes for the U.S. Geological Survey say this area could produce a magnitude 7.5," he said.