Earthquake Preparedness Month – ABC17NEWS

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February 1 marks the first day of earthquake preparedness in Missouri. Every year, the United States experiences thousands of earthquakes among which nearly 200 are located in the New Madrid Earthquake Zone. This area consists of various ancient faults and spans five state lines.

The majority of the seismic activity that occurs around this region usually consists of weak earthquakes of magnitude 1.0 or less. However, a magnitude 4.0 earthquake usually occurs every 18 months while a magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurs once every decade.

In 1811 and 1812, various strong earthquakes occurred that are expected to have a magnitude of more than 7.0 on the Richter scale. Since this time, there have been no earthquakes of this magnitude, but the geologist predicts that there is a 7%-10% chance of seeing a 7.0 or larger earthquake occur in this area within the next 50 years.

In the event of an earthquake and you’re caught indoors, experts say you should drop to the ground, cover yourself, and hold on to the nearby structure until the shaking stops.

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