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THE GREAT NEW MADRID EARTHQUAKE OF 1811-1812 was actually a series of over 2000 shocks in five months, five of which were 8.0 or more in magnitude. Eighteen of these rang church bells on the Eastern seaboard. The very land itself was destroyed in the Missouri Bootheel, making it unfit even for farmers for many years. It was the largest burst of seismic energy east of the Rocky Mountains in the history of the United States and was several times larger than the San Francisco quake of 1906.
THE NEW MADRID FAULT SYSTEM EXTENDS 120 MILES SOUTHWARD from the area of Charleston, Missouri, and Cairo, Illinois, through New Madrid and Caruthersville, following Interstate 55 to Blytheville and on down to Marked Tree, Arkansas.
THE HIGHEST EARTHQUAKE RISK in the UNITED STATES outside the West Coast is along the New Madrid Fault. Damaging tremors are not as frequent as in California, but when they occur, the destruction covers over more than 20 times the area because of underlying geology.
A DAMAGING EARTHQUAKE in this AREA, 6.0 or greater, occur about every 80 years (the last one in 1895). The results would cause serious damage to schools and masonry buildings from Memphis to St Louis.
A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE in this AREA, 7.5 or greater, happens every 200- 300 years (the last one in 1812). There is a 25% chance by 2040. A New Madrid Fault rupture this size would be felt throughout half the United States and damage 20 states or more. Missouri alone could anticipate losses of at least $6 billion from such an event.
Sounds pretty devastating, especially considering that structures around these parts aint built to withstand major earthquakes.
Originally posted by HeavilyArmed
I'm not sure where in those parts you live but on I 40 from Jackson to Memphis
all interstate overpasses have cables connecting them to keep the overpass from falling onto interstate below in case of earthquakes. Other than that I must say I don't know about the commercial and residential buildings in the area.
Originally posted by antar
Originally posted by Hellmutt
Check this out (also posted here). See how the 1811/1812 quakes were felt.
"Isoseismal map for the Arkansas earthquake of December 16,1811, 08:15 UTC (first of the 1811-1812 New Madrid series)."
Source: USGS
New York felt it more than New Orleans...