|
|
CUSEC
& USGS Release Map of Historical Earthquakes in the Central
U.S.
|
|
New Map Highlights
Central U.S. Earthquake History
On
April 1, 2004,
CUSEC and the USGS unveiled a new map highlighting historic earthquakes
in the central United States. The map shows more than 800
earthquakes, large enough to be felt, since 1699.
The large-format colored map, “Earthquakes in the Central
United States – 1699-2002", identifies the infamous New Madrid
earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 which by today’s standards would
have been disastrous magnitude 7.5 + temblors. It also shows
many smaller, but still destructive earthquakes, including a magnitude
6.3 earthquake which shook eastern Arkansas in January of 1843;
a magnitude 6.6 earthquake which shook residents of six states
on Halloween morning in 1895 and was centered in southeastern Missouri;
and a magnitude 5.4 earthquake which cracked foundations and toppled
tombstones in southeastern Illinois in November of 1968.
|
|
|
“
Products such as this map are another useful tool in educating
the public in the central United States about the earthquake
hazard...tools such as this can be used in all phases of
mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. We have
to use the historical knowledge...to increase public awareness
of the seismic risk.”
Robert Latham
Chairman, CUSEC Board of Directors
Director, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
Click
here for a digital version of the new map.
|
| "Development
of this map for the central United States clearly demonstrates
the power of partnerships,” said Jim
Wilkinson, Executive Director of CUSEC. “CUSEC working
with the USGS has created a product which is mutually beneficial
in raising public awareness to the
seismic hazard in the central United States from both the scientific
and emergency preparedness perspectives." Also speaking
at the press release was Dr. Joan Gomberg, Research Geophysicist
for the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Dr. Gomberg breifly
discussed the nature of the earthquake hazard in the region with
reporters and also about the Advanced National
Seismic Station network. The stations, like the one seen
below at the CUSEC headquarters, can detect any ground motion in
the vicinity, such as trucks passing by, and also give
scientists detailed information about ground motion during an earthquake. Information
obtained from the stations can be used to determine earthquake intensity at a
given point,
but
more stations are needed to have shake
map capabilities in the regions of the
country that have higher seismicity. |
|
|
|
