With the bridge collapse in Minneapolis, can one wonder the safety of the Midwest, if she were to experience another major quake? Remember that one of the strongest quakes to hit the U.S. mainland was the series of New Madrid Earthquakes (1811-1812 in the Southwest corner of Missouri), where a few of them registered over 8+ on the Richter scale.
It is said that there is over a 50% chance that a 6+ magnitude quake will hit Southwest Missouri by 2040. From 1811 to present day, there has been major development and population explosion west of the Mississippi River. One of the major obstacles, liabilities facing the Midwest is her reliance on unreinforced masonry. That will truly up the death tolls in cities like Memphis and St. Louis, if such a quake were to take place.
Check out the graphic of the U.S. vs. the 1994 Northridge Earthquake vs. the 1895 Charleston, MO, earthquake that traveled a lot longer ways, damage and earthfelt wise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:NMSZ_Vergleich.jpg
2007-08-05
19:00:14
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