Mississippi Delta earthquake: America's Haiti waiting to happen?

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | January 17, 2010 | Suzi Parker

[LucyJo]

Scientists predict a Haiti-magnitude earthquake along the New Madrid fault during the next 50 years. The fault runs under the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest parts of the US.

[Travis McGee]

THey’re better in order, but can be read individually. Only one character carries over.

[Travis McGee]

I think it depends on the power of the earthquake. Bridges that might withstand a 7.0 might collapse in an 8.0 that is ten times more powerful. And of course there is distance from the epicenter. But the important thing about a NMF quake is the wide area affected, compared to California.

[Moonman62]

I think this is the most precise prediction I’ve heard about the New Madrid fault. I’d be curious as to what they base it on.

It's based on the desire to create hysteria. Some scientists think New Madrid is finished. The latest studies indicate that there is zero fault movement.

The one to worry about may be the Wabash fault.

[Moonman62]

The article fails to mention the fatal factor of a delta quake--liquefaction. The delta is basically a silt bar.

In Western Kentucky near the fault, there is several hundred feet of topsoil above the bedrock.

[cripplecreek]

Some scientists think New Madrid is finished.

I personally doubt this one is a dead fault but it does happen. Michigan's upper Penninsula has some old fault lines that have never produced a quake that we're aware of. The lake superior basin is formed in an ancient rift vally which means it was once very geologically active. I believe lake Ontario is also in an ancient rift vally. They're both billions of years old, have filled with sediment and been recarved out by glaciers. As I understand it, this is why both are so much deeper than the rest of the lakes.

[Moonman62]

What’s unusual about New Madrid is that it’s only a few thousand years old. In the grand scheme of geology, and compared to other seismic zones, it’s a minor anomaly.

[Mila]

Seismic Hazard Map, U.S. 48 States

[DannyTN]

"Actually Mississippi is not that poor."

Have you ever driven through Mississippi?

They are ranked 50th as of 2007 with per capita income of $28,845. They are rich compared to Haiti, but they are still the poorest state in the union.

[LaMudBug]

And UPS’s air hub in Louisville is similarly massive, and would also likely be affected by a big New Madrid quake.

If most of those planes are on the ground in Memphis at the time of a big quake, I don’t think an alternate site does much for FedEx.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You obviously are very limited in your mental capacity. It is the planes in the air that will need the alternate site to LAND, not the planes on the ground. What a dimwith you are.....

[FreedomPoster]

Have you been drinking?

__ you and the horse you rode in on.

Alternate landing sites aren’t that big of a deal. Lots of airports in easy flying distance.

Watch your mouth.

[Joya]

3.7 today, New Madrid fault line.

http://www.kait8.com/global/story.asp?s=12071693

[Joya]

Oh, I hope not. Is there research pointing to such devastation?

= = =
You said,
‘Another New Madrid quake of the size and location of the 1811/1812 quake will knock Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Evansville, the cities of the plain in Central Illinois, Louisville, Cincinatti, Nashville, Vicksburg, Memphis and a whole host of other places OVER!’

[Jedidah]

The Anchorage, Alaska earthquake in 1964 was a 9.2.

[Quix]

Seems likely to me given all the prophetic statements about such.

[Quix]

However, what are you basing your convictions about it on?

[Joya]

3.7 quake on 3/7.

http://runningfrombabylon.blogspot.com/2010/03/march-7-goldstone-report-and-chile-and.html

[Joya]

Correction. 3.7 quake on 3/2.

http://www.kait8.com/global/story.asp?s=12071693

[Quix]

INDEED.

Travis,

what do you attribute the seeming willful . . . what . . .

sleepwalking, blindness . . .

something,

even on the part of so many conservative Christians who ought to know better???

[Quix]

THX

[greeneyes]

“hey, hey, HEY! wait a minute... i live in that red zone part of Indiana. i have to worry about ice in the winter and tornadoes in the summer. now i have to worry about the EARTHQUAKE FROM HELL? not cool.”

LOL. Exactly my reaction. About 5 years after we started living here in East Central Missouri, I was talking about how glad I was we didn't live in Florida or California due to hurricanes and earthquakes.

Then hubby told me all about the New Madrid Fault, and the big one back in the 1800s. I asked him if he knew that before we moved here. He said yep.

I told him I would never have moved here if I had known about it beforehand. The fault is a very active fault, but the quakes are usually very small, so it doesn't get all the attention of California.

The old brick buildings in St. Louis can not withstand a big quake. Buildings that were built in the 1980’s started using technology designed to come through a large quake.

The poor delta areas will likely not have as many deaths and injuries as St. Louis, where a type of liquification will be a factor, in addition to all the older buildings and large population.