[BIGLOOK]

No Richter scale then....but I believe there was another scale that measured the amount of destruction and the reaction of the population to the event. I forget what it was called. But I do recall that the upper range (above an 8.0 on the Richter scale) caused mass panic.

The 1811 quake at New Madrid changed the course of the Big Muddy. I've no doubt it also caused mass panic.

The difference between 8.0 and (low ball) 8.8 is huge; I agree.

[Graybeard58]

In 1811 the area was sparsely populated. Today St. Louis and Memphis would receive damage from a big scale quake and St. Louis has no building codes concerning earthquakes.