Recent activity raises interest in Earthquake Awareness Month

JEFFERSON CITY – Missourians were reminded just two months ago that the state’s New Madrid  Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is one of the most active seismic zones in the U.S. 

On Nov. 17, a magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Poplar Bluff rattled furniture and shook wall hangings  in thousands of homes. 

Missouri observes Earthquake Awareness Month each February to emphasize the very real  risk of a catastrophic earthquake occurring in the zone.

The NMSZ, centered in southeast  Missouri generated some of the most powerful earthquakes in U.S. history. A series of major  quakes occurred in 1811-12, destroying buildings, ringing church bells hundreds of miles away,  and briefly causing the Mississippi River to run backward.

While no one can predict exactly when an earthquake will occur, scientists agree that large  earthquakes in this zone still pose a risk. The Nov. 17 temblor was the largest in Missouri since 1991. 

As part of Earthquake Awareness Month, the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) has a two-part Facebook Live series scheduled at 10 a.m. on February 3 and February 10.

Part I: EQ Hazards & Safety
February 3 at 10:00 a.m.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1054436731768476 

Part II: EQ Hazards, Preparedness & Mitigation, and Financial Preparedness
February 10 at 10:00 a.m.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/474481000942870