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FEMA Official Says New Madrid Earthquake Preparedness Is Agency Priority
AP (Through ABC News) ^ | February 24, 2006 | Cheryl Wittenauer

Posted on 02/25/2006 9:38:10 AM PST by Strategerist

ST. LOUIS - Preparing for a catastrophic earthquake along the New Madrid fault is a priority, a FEMA official said Friday before a congressional field hearing on government readiness to handle natural disasters.

"New Madrid is at the top of the list," Michel Pawlowski, section chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said. "It's our primary objective."

Pawlowski told a congressional committee that FEMA has "significant concerns" for the potential of a catastrophic earthquake equal in magnitude to those that struck parts of the Mississippi River Valley in 1811-1812, and again in 1895. The estimated magnitude of those earthquakes is 7.5 or 8. The probability of a magnitude 6 or larger earthquake is 25 percent to 50 percent over the next 50 years.

Even a magnitude 7 earthquake would destroy more than 60 percent of buildings in St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn., because most buildings predate building requirements aimed at resisting the shock, officials estimate.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: earthquake; fema; newmadrid; preparedness
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To: Cornpone

Totally agree. There's nothing FEMA can do and even if they did, they and the evil Bush administration will still get blamed for it.


41 posted on 02/25/2006 11:17:21 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (We're Americans, we can do anything)
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To: digger48

You really need the audio on the Blitzer quote. Seeing the words just doesn't do it justice.


42 posted on 02/25/2006 11:19:47 AM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: freedumb2003
Everything I have read says that when that happens - that is it for the Human Race.

Sure seems that way. It would bring the human race close to extinction if not all the way. Humans, especially today, are pretty resourceful. I am sure that some would find a way to survive.

Have to write a whole new Bible then. :)

43 posted on 02/25/2006 11:52:47 AM PST by raybbr (ANWR is a barren, frozen wasteland - like the mind of a democrat!)
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To: Andyman

The historic Mormon Tabernacle (built in the mid-1800's)on Temple Square in Salt Lake City is in the process of being retrofitted to withstand a major earthquake....


44 posted on 02/25/2006 11:59:32 AM PST by tracer
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To: 76834

Another is the Yellowstone Caldera""

Don't forget the uplift movement going on at Mammoth Lakes.


45 posted on 02/25/2006 12:02:17 PM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: freedumb2003
"An 8.0 at 2:30 pm in SoCal will kill thousands."

Surely flags will fly at half-staff in most places south of the border.......

46 posted on 02/25/2006 12:02:25 PM PST by tracer
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To: Strategerist
I'm always late to post when thees things happen so let me be the first.

It's bush's fault. George Bush doesn't care about black people, and the death toll stands at a bazillion. Cannibalism has broke out. More at 11.
47 posted on 02/25/2006 12:17:47 PM PST by spikeytx86 (Beware the Democratic party has been over run by CRAB PEOPLE!)
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To: Deb
You really need the audio on the Blitzer quote. Seeing the words just doesn't do it justice.

Funny thing.....I've never heard it myself.

48 posted on 02/25/2006 1:20:30 PM PST by digger48
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To: david06
So you'd move your entire life because there might be a natural disaster?

Have you ever been through a major earthquake? This was the week after we went through our earthquake that I was looking into it (and I am still living here 5 years later.) I couldn't get in touch with my (small) children and mother for hours and they were about 10 miles from the epicenter- and what I felt at 45 miles away was pretty major (turns out it was deep, so the distance didn't matter as much, but I didn't know in the immediate aftermath). All communications were down (syst overload) and I was not able to reach my then husband or my dad at work, either (dad's work had significant damage, we later found.) I finally found out my kids and parents were safe about 4 hours after it happened. So, yeah, I was just a little traumatized. Obviously, I have weighed the risks and my options and decided I am better off where I am.

I can't even imagine how long it's been since you were in a city.

I'm in a major city every day of the work week. I don't walk around afraid of life.

49 posted on 02/25/2006 1:29:08 PM PST by conservative cat
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To: 76834
When/If that one blows it will wipe out everything including FEMA.

http://www.armageddononline.org/volcano.php

Lots of other cheerful stuff on that site.

Well I'm already in a crappy mood today, I may as well pay them a visit, too. :-o

50 posted on 02/25/2006 1:38:43 PM PST by Looking4Truth (FOR SALE: 1 slightly used U.S. Citizenship and SSN. Make Offer. Will trade for Matricula card.)
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To: 76834

This century I will be concerned with terrorism, illegal immigration, etc. for the next few years. Be sure to ping me when the volcano is getting within a month or two of erupting.


51 posted on 02/25/2006 1:39:53 PM PST by B4Ranch (No expiration date is on the Oath to protect America from all enemies, foreign and domestic.)
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To: Strategerist

10% probability of gains isn't enough to get me to invest in a stock. I'm sure not going to gamble that Mother Earth will get PMS while I'm alive and crash the whole place around us.


52 posted on 02/25/2006 1:46:18 PM PST by B4Ranch (No expiration date is on the Oath to protect America from all enemies, foreign and domestic.)
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To: Strategerist

http://www.seismo.unr.edu/htdocs/NV-earthquakes.html


53 posted on 02/25/2006 1:53:10 PM PST by B4Ranch (No expiration date is on the Oath to protect America from all enemies, foreign and domestic.)
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To: freedumb2003; 76834
Speaking of volcanoes.


54 posted on 02/25/2006 2:26:34 PM PST by raybbr (ANWR is a barren, frozen wasteland - like the mind of a democrat!)
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To: Strategerist

The airport is some 30 feet higher than the lake and is the closest major structure to the lake in the direction of downtown. The closest part of the "city" is some 50 feet above the lake. If we have 50 feet of movement, a little water is the least of the problems. In the Bountiful area, there are a few places that are as few as 16 feel above mean lake level.


55 posted on 02/25/2006 3:31:58 PM PST by Andyman (God loves you just the way you are . . . but too much to leave you that way.)
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To: tracer

Yes it is, as is the State Capitol. The City County building was retrofitted a number of years back.


56 posted on 02/25/2006 3:33:11 PM PST by Andyman (God loves you just the way you are . . . but too much to leave you that way.)
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To: bert
Believe me, this scenario is on the mind of EO personnell in northern Illinois.

There are contingency plans being update even as we chat here.

L

57 posted on 02/25/2006 3:42:47 PM PST by Lurker (In God I trust. Everybody else shows me their hands.)
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To: Andyman

As you no doubt know, Bountiful and nearby areas would suffer the most from large homes being rattled from their hillside foundations and sliding down into the valley....


58 posted on 02/26/2006 8:30:37 PM PST by tracer
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To: tracer

True. There are a lot of "cut and fill" homes on the benches from 6200 South sout to the point too. Cut, not so bad; fill, HOUSE SURFING!


59 posted on 02/27/2006 6:42:15 AM PST by Andyman (God loves you just the way you are . . . but too much to leave you that way.)
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To: Wally_Kalbacken
60 percent of buildings in St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn... it's a start.

? Courageous Comment.

What city are do you live in?

60 posted on 03/01/2006 4:56:59 PM PST by 1stMarylandRegiment (Conserve Liberty)
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