U.S. Geological Survey Raises East Tennessee's Earthquake Risk

When the United States Geological Survey released updated earthquake hazard maps last week, media outlets here in East Tennessee quickly reported that the risk of a major shaker here in Appalachia went up. That got the attention of WUOT All Things Considered host (and nervous homeowner) Brandon Hollingsworth. To find out more about the seismic risks of East Tennessee, he called the University of Tennessee's Dr. Bob Hatcher, a geologist who’s been working on a detailed study of prehistoric earthquakes in the region. In this extended cut, Hatcher talks to Brandon about the revised earthquake risk, how geologists developed it, and what it means for you.