ST. LOUIS, Missouri (First Alert 4) – Last weekend, a small earthquake sent tremors across the Tennessee-Kentucky-Missouri state line and shook much of the Midwest on a major fault called New Madrid. It reminded me of being on the line. The most destructive earthquake in history in 1812.
The quake near Tiptonville, Tennessee, was only a magnitude 2.8, but local news outlets reported that the shaking was felt throughout the area.
Hundreds of small earthquakes occur along the fault each year, and it is only a matter of time before the next big one occurs.
On Thursday, October 17th, thousands of people took part in an earthquake preparedness exercise called the Great Shakeout to practice survival skills. There is only so much authorities can do to prepare. They know they can’t prevent earthquakes, so all we can do is be prepared.
This summer, officials conducted preparedness drills across Missouri. Emergency responders trained when a building could collapse and how to save as many people as possible.
Firefighters and first responders conducted training at Chesterfield Mall in the St. Louis area in July, simulating search and rescue missions. The three-day training scenario simulated a magnitude 8.4 earthquake along the New Madrid Earthquake Fault and involved 500 participants, including local emergency responders, military responders, hospitals, and volunteers.
This is the first time the St. Louis region has hosted the exercise. Last year, they were conducted in Nashville.
Matt Wilcox is the Assistant Fire Chief for Maplewood, Missouri Fire and Rescue Services and an employee of FEMA Missouri Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1. He described the training as follows: Try to find someone or some sign of life. ” Responders in the St. Louis area are constantly trained.
“This is a tough day of work for everyone here,” Wilcox said.
A 2004 FEMA study found that if the 1812 earthquake, which was between 7 and 8 on the Richter scale, occurred today, the damage could exceed $200 billion. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that earthquakes cause $14 billion in damage each year across the United States.
Although there have been no recent major earthquakes in the Midwest, hundreds of smaller earthquakes are expected to be detected by 2024.
But after 1812, things changed. Back then, the Midwest was rural and open, but now, 200 years later, it is much more developed. There are roads, there are railways, and even more towns and buildings. The damage could be severe.
study the risks
Seismologists believe the real risk comes after the shaking is over.
Pablo Aravena is a doctoral student in geophysics at Saint Louis University. The university has an entire faculty dedicated to researching the New Madrid Fault Line.
“Then you start worrying about pipes breaking and how long the electricity will last,” Aravena said.
Maj. Kelly Hudson is a project officer with Michigan-based National Guard Task Force 46 and co-led emergency response training in the St. Louis area this summer.
“If you look at the St. Louis region, especially the New Madrid earthquake fault, some might argue that we’re going to be facing one of those,” he says.
The biggest concern for officials is critical infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Scientists say that’s why it’s important to better understand earthquakes and prepare by building smarter.
SLU’s Earthquake Center was established to study the risks and better understand the challenging science of earthquakes. There are many things that scientists still don’t understand.
“Why did the earthquake occur?” said Robert Herman, professor emeritus of geophysics at SLU. “What was the nature of the earthquake and where was the fault?”
Since scientists cannot accurately predict the likelihood of an occurrence, they aim to estimate the likelihood of an occurrence. “You never know when it’s going to happen. It’s not for lack of trying,” Aravena said.
Officials know that certain buildings are more vulnerable, such as those built on soft soil or near rivers. That’s why Missouri recommends that homeowners buy earthquake insurance, but premiums have plummeted in recent years.
“When a disaster occurs, there is a rapid response to help those affected,” Hellman said.
The USGS has thousands of computer monitoring stations across the country that constantly monitor seismic activity.
For Aravena, it’s personal. He is a survivor of the 2010 Chilean earthquake, which recorded magnitude 8.8. “I was on the seventh floor and I remember it was very scary.”
“One way to overcome fear is to understand it,” Aravena says.
look to the past for answers
A museum has been established in New Madrid to catalog and record the effects of a series of devastating earthquakes that occurred more than 200 years ago. It includes first-hand accounts from several survivors, including a woman, Eliza Bryan, who spoke of loud noises, destroyed forests, and massive flooding.
“The first steamship launched on the Mississippi River, the New Orleans, was actually just south of New Madrid when the earthquake occurred,” said museum administrator Jeff Granwald. “Welcome to the Mississippi River, right?”
Thousands of trees floated around the Mississippi River after the quake. Three days after the earthquake, the sailors passed through the area of New Madrid. “They discovered that the town of New Madrid had been destroyed,” the city’s website states. “They didn’t have the courage to stop and pick up the few survivors for fear of being overrun, and they didn’t have supplies.”
Grunwald said New Orleans was able to continue its journey south and local residents began efforts to rebuild. Eliza Bryan remained in the New Madrid area and was eventually buried in a local cemetery. Grunwald said the New Madrid earthquake was the first time the federal government provided disaster assistance to the public.
These earthquakes are not just a footnote in history. Modern seismologists have studied these historic earthquakes to try to understand the tectonic, human, and environmental conditions surrounding these powerful shakings.
The question is not “if” but “when.” Until then, all people can do is prepare. “Instead of being afraid of them, it’s wise to worry about them,” Herman says. “But take prudent steps to prepare for anything in the future.”
Many states in the region, including southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, western Kentucky, and southern Illinois, have commercial, economic, and transportation response plans in place.
“You have to worry about whether the road structures are broken, whether the bridges are OK. So how do you get the supplies? So you can create a good scenario for training,” Herman said. said.
For individuals, it is important to know the basics. Stay away from windows, protect your head, seek cover, and stay away from trees and buildings if you’re outdoors. For more information, visit ShakeOut.org.
“I want people to realize that this can happen,” Aravena said. “But don’t live your life as if the worst is going to happen every day.”
Avery Martinez covers water, agriculture and the environment for First Alert 4. He is also a member of the American Legion. RFA places talented emerging journalists in our newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up.
This article is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Agriculture & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri, in partnership with Report for America, and generously funded by the Walton Family Foundation . Tegan Wendland contributed reporting.
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