Earthquakes

[Noor]

Is anyone concerned about the 12 (so far) earthquakes on the New Madrid fault in the past day?

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

I'm no earthquake-ologist but don't large faults have little tremors all the time?

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Does Missouri have any 2 story buildings?

 

[Bidin~Time]

That would creep me out

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

Does Missouri have any 2 story buildings?

They got a big half-circle that some people think is a secret weather machine. Other than that I don't think they have much in the way of anything. Except a large fault line of course.

 

[Noor]

I'm no earthquake-ologist but don't large faults have little tremors all the time?

Not in that way, along that fault.

If the earthquakes of 1811-1812 were to happen today, it would level St. Louis, and Memphis, and destroy most of Nashville, Louisville and Kansas City. It is said that during one of those earthquakes, it rang church bells in Charleston, SC and Boston MA.

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

Not in that way, along that fault.

If the earthquakes of 1811-1812 were to happen today, it would level St. Louis, and Memphis, and destroy most of Nashville, Louisville and Kansas City. It is said that during one of those earthquakes, it rang church bells in Charleston, SC and Boston MA.

I'm pretty sure all those cities were there back then and weren't leveled.

 

[Noor]

Of course in 1811 they started with a big one first.
http://www.new-madrid.mo.us/index.aspx?nid=132

 

[Noor]

I'm pretty sure all those cities were there back then and weren't leveled.

https://www.google.com/search?q=181..._6zJAhULej4KHYHNAhQQ_AUICSgD&biw=1114&bih=834

 

[doctor_insanus]

I'm pretty sure all those cities were there back then and weren't leveled.

Not to mention that modern cities are much better designed to survive earthquakes.

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

https://www.google.com/search?q=181..._6zJAhULej4KHYHNAhQQ_AUICSgD&biw=1114&bih=834

Yes St. Louis took some damage although far from leveled. Far cry from the doomsday scenario you posted.

Not saying a quake of some magnitude wouldn't be a big deal but it's just not gonna be what you're saying if it even ever happens at all.

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

Of course in 1811 they started with a big one first.
http://www.new-madrid.mo.us/index.aspx?nid=132

One of the first things that link says simply isn't true. It was one of the largest but not the largest earthquake in American history. Alaska has had quite a few that were much bigger and California has had a couple.
You'd think the town website would have googled or something.

 

[Weird Harold]

I'm pretty sure all those cities were there back then and weren't leveled.

St Louis was severely damaged by the 1812 quake, and that was primarily log-cabin, single story construction. Modern St Louis -- and other cities in the region -- are just a bit more extensive and a great deal taller.

 

[gotsnowgotslush]

*looks at earthquake map*


It is busy today, and has been busy this week.

Interesting. It has bounced up the coast...

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

St Louis was severely damaged by the 1812 quake, and that was primarily log-cabin, single story construction. Modern St Louis -- and other cities in the region -- are just a bit more extensive and a great deal taller.

That's the point though. If log cabins didn't get leveled then why would bigger buildings with modern materials and the fault in mind fair worse?

 

[Noor]

One of the first things that link says simply isn't true. It was one of the largest but not the largest earthquake in American history. Alaska has had quite a few that were much bigger and California has had a couple.
You'd think the town website would have googled or something.

You can't just go by the magitude, it also matter the depth and distance that was felt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1811–12_New_Madrid_earthquakes

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

You can't just go by the magitude, it also matter the depth and distance that was felt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1811–12_New_Madrid_earthquakes

I went by what the USGS says. I figure they know more than anyone here.

 

[Bidin~Time]

Buildings in California have the potential for earthquakes built into their building codes. It is my (limited) understanding, that Missouri, and states along the New Madrid, do not have those types of building codes. So wouldn't it follow that a major quake would level many of the buildings not built to withstand such things?

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

Buildings in California have the potential for earthquakes built into their building codes. It is my (limited) understanding, that Missouri, and states along the New Madrid, do not have those types of building codes. So wouldn't it follow that a major quake would level many of the buildings not built to withstand such things?

So why didn't it back then?

 

[doctor_insanus]

http://dnr.mo.gov/geology/geosrv/geores/techbulletin1.htm

The probability of a repeat of the 1811-12 (magnitude 7.5-8.0) earthquake is 7-10%

A 1991 Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and FEMA report estimates for a 7.6 magnitude NMSZ earthquake the Bootheel counties of Mississippi, New Madrid and Pemiscot would have 0.2 percent to 2 percent of their population killed, 1 percent to 10 percent of their population seriously injured, 10 percent of their buildings collapsed and 30 percent of their buildings receiving severe structural damage. For Scott, Stoddard and Dunklin counties the percentage estimates are 0.1 percent to 1 percent killed, 0.5 percent to 5 percent seriously injured, 5 percent of structures collapsed and 20 percent with severe structural damage. For Butler, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry, St. Louis (including the City), Lincoln, Pike, Marion and Lewis Counties the estimates are 0.02 percent to 0.2 percent killed, 0.1 percent to 1 percent seriously injured, 1 percent building collapses and 10 percent with severe structural damage.

 

[Noor]

I went by what the USGS says. I figure they know more than anyone here.

rish to mid and high rise buildings
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4284

also this:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/nmsz/

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

rish to mid and high rise buildings
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4284

also this:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/nmsz/

None of this says anything at all like what you presented.

 

[parodyluvr75]

If that happened Noor, it would be very bad. Months of large quakes, aftershocks and other earthquake events, loss of life and property would be insane. The fault area has lots of clusters of earthquakes so I'm not sure the recent spurt means anything, at least I would hope not.

 

[Noor]

None of this says anything at all like what you presented.

"Based on our simulations, were the 1811-1812 earthquakes to repeat today, more than 8 million people living and working near the New Madrid seismic zone would experience potentially damaging ground shaking at modified Mercalli intensities ranging from VI to VIII,” said Leonardo Ramirez-Guzman, lead author of the paper that appears in the July 30 edition of the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America."
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4284

 

[Oh_That_Guy]

"Based on our simulations, were the 1811-1812 earthquakes to repeat today, more than 8 million people living and working near the New Madrid seismic zone would experience potentially damaging ground shaking at modified Mercalli intensities ranging from VI to VIII,” said Leonardo Ramirez-Guzman, lead author of the paper that appears in the July 30 edition of the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America."
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4284

Potentially damaging shaking equals the leveling of several large cities?