Tremors from Wednesday's earthquake near Decatur, Tennessee, could be felt as far south as Lagrange, Georgia.

Tremors from Wednesday's earthquake near Decatur, Tennessee, could be felt as far south as Lagrange, Georgia.

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake hit Tennessee just after 4 a.m. Wednesday. Seismic tremors shook Georgians awake in the early hours and could be felt as far south as LaGrange, Georgia. 

Major earthquakes aren't impossible in the eastern United States, but they are rare. We turned to Georgia Southern University geology professor and chair Jim Reichard for a lesson on the science of earthquakes. We also spoke with civil engineer Glenn Rix, senior principal at Geosyntec Consultants, about how prepared the infrastructure of the Southeast is to withstand a significant earthquake. "On Second Thought" host Virginia Prescott speaks with Jim Reichard and Glenn Rix.

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Tags: geosyntec  civil engineering  geology  georgia southern university  earthquake  Athens  Atlanta  Georgia  Macon  Savannah