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That caused the Mississippi River to run backwards and caused thousands of people and acres to be lost?

2007-03-14 01:23:28 · 5 answers · asked by jacquie 6 in Science & Mathematics Earth Sciences & Geology

5 answers

Dec. 16, 1811, marked the most powerful earthquake to hit the United States. The upheaval in the New Madrid, Mo., area caused the Mississippi River to run backwards and then start downstream again in a wave 30 feet high.

The continuing shocks during the next few weeks toppled some of the monumental landmarks along the rocky banks of the Mississippi below St. Louis, created Tennessee's Reelfoot Lake and pushed ground up at various places causing other lakes to disappear.

The New Madrid quake was considered to have 15 times as much energy as the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Due to the sparseness of population, however, the New Madrid death toll was relatively low. Several lives were lost on the river and one person was killed by toppling walls. But some historians noted that several Indian tribes were missing after the earthquake.

2007-03-14 01:30:17 · answer #1 · answered by Tapestry6 7 · 1 0

the suitable time and place won't have the ability to be envisioned. ===== An earthquake prediction is a prediction that an earthquake of a particular importance will take place at a particular area and time. Seismologists at the instant are not presently able to foretell earthquakes with such accuracy, rather they concentration on calculating the seismic adverse components of a area and the possibilities that a given earthquake will take place. ===== Schwartz co-chaired the working team on California Earthquake possibilities. Its 2003 assessment chanced on there became a sixty two% probability of one or extra M6.7, or extra effective, earthquakes interior the Bay section interior the era as much as 2032. ===== Seismologists usually agree that a repeat of a 1906-length earthquake is inevitable, nevertheless whilst and the place alongside the fault are unknown. In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a sixty two % probability of a importance-6.7 earthquake or extra effective hitting the Bay section interior 30 years. which would be with regards to the dimensions of the 1994 Northridge quake in l. a., which killed fifty seven people and led to $20 billion in injury. An earthquake the dimensions of the 1906 experience could be plenty extra unfavourable, yet researchers say such quakes are extremely uncommon. Zoback of the Geological Survey says a large One seems to take place each and every 2 hundred to 250 years.

2016-10-18 08:42:27 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

In a three-month period in 1811-12, three major earthquakes occured along the New Madrid fault. The strongest was the 1812 earthquake magnitude 8.1. The combination of these earthquakes triggered landslides into the Mississippi river causing part of the river to change direction.

2007-03-14 03:16:00 · answer #3 · answered by minerdave 1 · 1 0

I dont have all the details but I know it was the New Madrid Fault and its in Mo (eeekkk I live in Mo) and yes it did cause the Mississippi River to run backwards. They didnt use the Ricter Scale yet, but specialists speculate that it was the worse earthquake ever recorded. Scary huh??

2007-03-14 01:32:32 · answer #4 · answered by suzyalexisandgabe 3 · 1 0

I just would like to add that while this was a very devistating and powerful earthquake (three earthquakes, of 7.8, 8.0, and 8.1 richter scale magnitude), it was far from being the most powerful in US history.

The 1938 earthquake in the Shumagin Islands of Alaska had a magnitude of 8.2.

The biggest quake in US history happened in Alaska just off the Andreanof Islands in 1957, it had a richter scale magnitude of 9.1 and caused a tsunami that hit Hawaii and totally destroyed two villages. This was one of the largest earthquakes ever for the entire planet, and dwarfs the New Madrid earthquake in terms of sheer power (a 9.1 releases 10x more energy than an 8.1).

2007-03-14 05:53:53 · answer #5 · answered by brooks b 4 · 1 0

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