was one of the worst earthquakes ever
2006-11-04 11:13:32 · 2 answers · asked by tallywacker 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
About 150 miles.
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The New Madrid fault zone includes a large series of faults beneath the continental crust in an area known as the Reelfoot Rift. This fault system extends some 150 miles in length, from near Marked Tree, Arkansas, through northwest Tennessee, the boot heal of Missouri, extreme west Kentucky and to the southern part of Illinois.
The New Madrid fault system has the greatest potential for earthquake damage of any area east of the Rocky Mountains. And, although these damaging earthquakes are much less frequent than in California, they hold the potential for much greater damage. This potential for damage is due to the sediment covering of the faults of the area. Earthquake waves are amplified as they travel through sediments and therefore travel a much greater distance. These waves can cause damage and earthquakes to be felt many hundreds of miles farther than earthquakes in the California area.
Today, the crust in this geographic region is going through east-west shortening and the ancient Reelfoot Rift has been reactivated again causing earthquakes in the area.
2006-11-04 11:57:54 · answer #1 · answered by Sebille 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Madrid_fault
2006-11-04 11:17:30 · answer #2 · answered by arbiter007 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋