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Without stating such obvious places such as California, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii which U.S. states and cities are prone to major earthquakes? Also, have you experienced any earthquakes? If so, how many and where?
Are you referring to the 1811-1812 New Madrid quakes (3 major quakes)?
I recently watched a TV program that pointed out how dangerous the New Madrid fault is & if there is another strong earthquake it could be disastrous for much of the upper Mississippi valley w/ St. Louis\Memphis & Chicago heavily damaged.
I recently watched a TV program that pointed out how dangerous the New Madrid fault is & if there is another strong earthquake it could be disastrous for much of the upper Mississippi valley w/ St. Louis\Memphis & Chicago heavily damaged.
It would be disastrous... fortunately quakes in the 8 range in that area occur about once every 500-600 years. And quakes in the 6 range occur about every 200-300 years.
Incidentally, here are the estimated magnitudes of the 3 strong shocks in 1811-1812, by Kerry Sieh, a professor of geology at CALTECH (California Institute of Technology):
There is also evidence of a rupture in the same area strong enough to cause liquefaction sometime between 1180 and 1400. An even earlier quake was thought to occur between the years 780 and 1000.
Without stating such obvious places such as California, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii which U.S. states and cities are prone to major earthquakes? Also, have you experienced any earthquakes? If so, how many and where?
Earthquakes can happen in any state, but for different reasons. The Pacific coast, being located on the Ring of Fire, is the most vulnerable. The midwest/south is located on/near the New Madrid fault region, a failed rift zone. The northern areas of the country are can suffer moderate earthquakes do to phenomenon known as isostatic-rebound (as we exit our current ice age, the melting glaciers no longer weigh down the continental plate, causing it to 'spring back' to a more neutral position). Any towns near volcanoes are especially vulnerable to Earthquakes (California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, New Mexico, Yellowstone area).
The Cascadia subduction zone (California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia) is capable of the largest Earthquakes (Alaska is very close), upwards of 9.2, and could potentially generate tsunamis that would devastate the Pacific rim.
I have personally experienced several Earthquakes, and it's a unique experience, especially when it jars you out of bed at 3:30 in the morning. It's very interesting, in a geology-geek sort of way.
There's the New Madrid fault between St. Louis and Memphis. We're overdue for an earthquake.
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