Earthquake threat and other questions (Memphis, Knoxville: insurance, house, to buy) - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

jagar · 02-10-2011, 03:51 PM

If an earthquake were to hit the New Madrid fault, for example 7.0 or greater, would Knoxville feel it? We are thinking of moving there. Do most of you have earthq insurance, flood ins. or both? Also, what are the best schools? I have 2 in elem. We're not wealthy, make less than $80000. We are uprooting the family away from Memphis and will live on our savings until we find jobs....in this economy is very worrisome also...

Barking Spider · 02-10-2011, 07:46 PM

Hard to say what would happen if a 7.0 were to hit. That is a pretty big earthquake.
Having moved here from So CA, earthquakes here have been kind of a joke for me.

I think you would be quite safe in Knoxville, should an earthquake hit. I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that the entire State has been pretty safe from earthquake damage in the last several decades.

Earthquake insurance would be a huge waste of money.
Since there are many areas in Knoxville that are in flood areas, you may want to look into the flood maps where you are planning to buy.

Moving here or anywhere without jobs is very risky, especially with little ones. Hope you have a good savings to live on.

hiknapster · 02-10-2011, 09:08 PM

I believe when the New Madrid earthquake happened, a couple hundred years ago, it was so enormous that it made the Mississippi run backwards for a bit and church bells rang miles and miles away, but it really didn't affect Knoxville. No, I don't have earthquake insurance. They don't even bother mentioning it. I also don't have flood insurance but I live on top of a very large hill.

Jim37680 · 02-11-2011, 08:52 AM

At this distance most structures built on bedrock areas should be OK. That may not be the case for structures built on wet, alluvial deep soils such as flood plain areas. Water saturated alluvial soils tend to liquefy causing buildings to sink or roll over. In the case of the Mexico City earthquake back in the 80s this is what caused the destruction of many high rise structures. The earthquake epicenter was hundreds of miles to the west but most of Mexico City is built on an former lake bed (deep, water saturated fill).

Look for a place in (literally) Rocky Top, Tennessee where the bedrock is poking out of the ground.

I suspect that most of the problems in this area if a 7+ New Madrid quake occurs would be disruption to utilities and transportation systems.

airen123 · 02-11-2011, 02:51 PM

Knoxville has it pretty good on the natural disaster scope. The plateau keeps tornadoes out, forest fires are rare, far from fault line. Landlocked, so hurricanes and tsunamis out, but some flooding might help...I think you can get insurance for pretty cheap.

hiknapster · 02-11-2011, 03:04 PM

I thought this area doesn't really get heavy-duty flooding - such as what happened in Nashville - because of the dams? I've seen small back roads washed out, a bit, way up in northwest Knox County, near the Anderson County line, but not much else.

airen123 · 02-11-2011, 03:10 PM

I don't think it does either, but it sure surprised a bunch of folk in Nashville without flood insurance... I don't think we had flood insurance when we had our house in Knox, and I haven't heard of anyone having their house flooded, except for water main leaks. Guess it could go either way.

hiknapster · 02-11-2011, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by airen123

I don't think it does either, but it sure surprised a bunch of folk in Nashville without flood insurance... I don't think we had flood insurance when we had our house in Knox, and I haven't heard of anyone having their house flooded, except for water main leaks. Guess it could go either way.

I know that it is definitely advised to get flood insurance if you are in a flood zone. I just happen to sit on a hill. But Barking Spider is correct. I just don't think we get the horrendous floods of say, Nashville, because of the dams, thank goodness.

jagar · 02-11-2011, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by airen123

Knoxville has it pretty good on the natural disaster scope. The plateau keeps tornadoes out, forest fires are rare, far from fault line. Landlocked, so hurricanes and tsunamis out, but some flooding might help...I think you can get insurance for pretty cheap.

Cool, that's good to know! My worst fear by far are earthquakes as there is NO escaping that!

leonard · 02-11-2011, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagar

If an earthquake were to hit the New Madrid fault, for example 7.0 or greater, would Knoxville feel it? We are thinking of moving there. Do most of you have earthq insurance, flood ins. or both? Also, what are the best schools? I have 2 in elem. We're not wealthy, make less than $80000. We are uprooting the family away from Memphis and will live on our savings until we find jobs....in this economy is very worrisome also...

I grew up in California where earthquakes are considered alarm clocks to get us up. I lived a few miles from the epicenter of a 7.2 (I believe) quake (early 1970's) and not a big deal. Spilled everything out of the frig and knocked a few things off the wall. Knoxville is built on a better surface than we had, so no problems would be expected that I can see.