1865 Memphis earthquake
  Memphis  | |
| UTC time | 1865-08-17 15:00 |
|---|---|
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | August 17, 1865 |
| Magnitude | 4.7 Mfa |
| Epicenter | 36°00′N 89°30′W / 36.0°N 89.5°W[1] |
| Areas affected | Tennessee United States |
| Max. intensity | MMI VII (Very strong) [1] |
The 1865 Memphis earthquake struck southwest
1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes, only three major events have struck the state of Tennessee, in 1843, 1865, and 1895
. Several minor events have taken place as well.
Background
The earliest earthquakes known to have struck Tennessee were the series known as the
Mercalli intensities of VIII (Severe); it resulted in cracking walls, shattering windows, and toppling chimneys. Felt over an area of 1,000,000 square kilometers (386,102 sq mi), the earthquake caused more alarm than damage in Western Tennessee.[2]
Damage and intensity
Shaking in 1865 felled chimneys in
Mercalli intensity
of VIII (Severe), compared to the 1865 event.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Stover & Coffman 1993, p. 358.
- ^ a b "Tennessee Earthquake History". United States Geological Survey. October 26, 2009. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ^ Stover, C.W.; Coffman, J.L. (1993). Seismicity of the United States, 1568–1989 (Revised). U.S. Geological Survey professional paper 1527.