A Big Earthquake is Coming!
Most Hoosiers, and other residents of the American Midwest, don't think
much about earthquakes. Afterall, all of the earthquakes we hear about
are in California, Japan, Italy, or other far away places.
Make no mistake -- some of the biggest and most devastating earthquakes
in North American history were
right here. And, by many accounts, big earthquakes are due again.
The New Madrid fault, centered in the boothill of Missouri, generated
earthquakes in 1811 and 1812 so extreme that it caused the mighty
Mississippi river
to flow backwards, and rang church bells as far away as Boston,
Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. The larger quakes were even felt in
New Hampshire, a full thousand miles from the center of the quake.
That's one whopper of an earthquake, folks!
Massive earthquakes from the New Madrid fault have occurred, on average,
every 150 years. It's been 190 years since the last one. Do the math.
While earthquakes are not very predictable yet, we're past the time when
a devasting earthquake was predicted for this region.
In a series of four earthquakes measuring over 8.0 on the Richter Scale,
and aftershocks lasting for three months, homes, other buildings,
and trees were swiftly destroyed. The first of these quakes occurred
before dawn on the morning of December 16, 1811. The second of these
massive quakes occurred just 6 hours later. In all, there were hundreds
of quakes during this three month period of devastation.
Lives were lost, although the population
in 1811 and 1812 was tiny compared to today's population. Casualties of
the next earthquake could be many thousands of lost lives, depending on
where the earthquake is centered.
Now, we may be offered some buffer here in south-central Indiana because
we sit on beds of oolitic limestone. But, even that is limited security
in the case of earthquakes having a Richter Scale score above 8.0.
Although the largest New Madrid Fault earthquakes experienced during
recorded history (the past 200 years) have had epicenters in Missouri,
at least 6 major earthquakes had epicenters in southern Indiana during
the past 1200 years. The largest of these was centered in the area
that is now Vincennes and
was many-times more powerful than the devastating Los Angeles
earthquake of 1994.
That a major earthquake is going to hit us is a fact. The only thing we
don't know is when it will happen. It is statistically
probable that it will be soon.
How to Prepare for an Earthquake
- Keep handy a 3-day supply (per person) of durable food and bottled water.
Replace these supplies every six months.
- If your non-perishable emergency food supply includes can goods,
be sure to keep a non-electric can opener with the can goods.
- Keep handy a first aide kit and manual.
- Keep other emergency supplies handy, such as cellular telephone,
sturdy shoes, thick gloves, essential medicines, cash,
flashlights, battery-operated radio, extra batteries,
and a regularly-serviced
fire extinguisher. (Broken gas lines, or downed electric lines,
can results in fires!)
- Know where your gas, electric and water shut-offs are, in case you
need to turn them off after an earthquake. Know how to shut them off!
- Consider fastening or securing furnishings that might fall on you
during an earthquake, such as tall furniture. Be especially wary about
putting heavy objects on shelves, or heavy photos on walls, above sleeping
areas.
- Consider having earthquake drills in your home, teaching family
members to seek cover under, and hold on to, heavy furniture, such as
dining tables, which would offer some protection if the ceiling falls.
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Granduncle Mark's Genealogy Parlor