A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck about eight miles west of Whitesburg, Ky., just after noon on Saturday, the United States Geological Survey said.

The epicenter of the relatively light earthquake, which struck at a depth of 0.7 miles, was in Blackey, Ky., the agency said. The town, which is in the Appalachian Mountains, is near the border with Virginia and about 110 miles southwest of Charleston, W. Va.

Tremors were felt as far north as Columbus, Ohio, and as far south as Atlanta, said Paul Caruso, a geophysicist with the agency. He called the temblor “moderate” and said that aftershocks were a possibility.

Mr. Caruso said the agency received reports that the earthquake was felt widely throughout the Appalachian region, including in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. He added that Blackey is near a fault line, “and where there are faults, there are earthquakes,” even if they are relatively mild.