The quake struck south of Greenback, about 30 miles south of Knoxville, just after 9 a.m., according to data from the United States Geological Service.

The quake could be felt in parts of the Carolinas, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia and Virginia, according to early data from USGS.

The quake hit around 9 a.m. local time, about 13 miles from Greenback, Tennessee, which is about 30 miles south of Knoxville, the U.S. Geological Survey said.