Earthquakes: a Shaking Force

Commentary Editor

   The Central United States records more than 200 earthquakes each year and most of these tremors occur in the New Madrid seismic zone. This zone poses a potential threat to Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Mississippi.

   Arkansas will hold an Earthquake Preparedness week Feb. 2 – 7 and Earthquake Awareness Week from Feb. 4 – 8 along with Mississippi. This week will be just one of the many Earthquake Awareness Weeks hosted by other states. including West Tennessee and Missouri.

   According to Arkansasmatters.com, Lawrence County felt three earthquakes ranging from magnitudes of  2.9, 2.2 and 2.0 Jan. 26. Along with theses earthquakes, scientists found an unknown fault in East Arkansas, which could trigger a magnitude 7 earthquake in the cotton fields of the upper South with an epicenter near a natural gas pipeline.

   Earthquakes remind us that there is something to be aware of and to prepare for than just weather related issues. Some may think that earthquakes just cause damage around fault lines like the New Madrid Fault in North Arkansas or the San Andreas Fault zone in California.

   The New Madrid seismic zone runs roughly Northeast from Marked Tree in Poinsett County and generally follows Interstate 55 in a zigzag pattern through Mississippi County, crossing five state lines and cutting cross the Mississippi River in three places.

   If Arkansas history tells us anything, it says pay attention. According to The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture, the New Madrid fault created the most violent series of earthquakes in the history of the Continental United States. A series of powerful earthquakes rocked the Mississippi River Valley. The ground shook so violently; it rang church bells a thousand miles away in Boston and caused the Mississippi river to flow backwards.

    According to the U.S. Geological Survey, earthquake means a sudden slip on a fault and the resulting ground shaking and radiated seismic energy caused by the slip, by volcanic, magmatic activity or other sudden stress changes in the Earth.  Simple put, It is earthquake trembling or a shaking movement of the Earth’s Surface. Most earthquakes create minor tremors and larger earthquakes usually begin with slight tremors, but rapidly take the form of one or more violent shocks and end in aftershocks, vibrations of gradually diminishing force.

   How could you prepare for an earthquake?

   According to Channel KAIT8 out of Jonesboro, People need to be prepared to minimize deaths injuries, property damage and economic loss. You need to have an emergency kit with food, water, blankets and a battery-powered radio. Pick safe places in your home and take cover under a sturdy desk or table away from windows and furniture that could fall on you. Depending on where you live, you may want to talk to your insurance agency about the risks in your area according to the location of fault zones under the property.

   Suggested rules for earthquake safety include:

• Learn to drop, cover and hold on. Practice the drill at least twice a year with your family of finding something sturdy to crawl under and grab one leg of a table or desk to hang on.

•  Pick a safe place in every room of your home.
•  Wait in your safe place until the shaking stops, then check to see if you are hurt.
•  Be ready for after shocks
•  If you are in a car during an earthquake, stay in the car with seat belt fastened.
•  If you are outside during an earthquake, stay outside, but move away from buildings, trees, streetlights and power lines.

   Click here for more information about earthquakes in Arkansas.

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