Seismic activity in Montana, past and future

Earthquake Lake, Mont. — Western Montana is a seismically active area, so earthquakes occur daily throughout the state. The good news is that most of them are small, just not large enough for us to detect vibration. But a few of them are stronger.

In the video above, meteorologist Mitchell Coombs and Mike Stickney, director of the Bureau of Seismic Studies at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, discuss notable earthquake events in Montana's history and explain what has been done across the state to prepare for the next big quake.

As Stickney explains, faults across the state can support earthquakes larger than magnitude 5.0.

“We had very large earthquakes north of the Three Forks in the Clarkston Valley in 1925. The Clarkston earthquake was estimated at a magnitude of 6.5, and the Helena earthquake, there were actually a pair of large earthquakes that occurred two weeks apart, with magnitudes of 6.3 and 6.0.”

These earthquakes pale in comparison to the event that occurred on August 17, 1959 near Lake Hebgen. The earthquake measured 7.3 magnitude, the largest in Montana's recorded history. It is also one of the largest corporations in US history. The quake lasted less than a minute and produced powerful shaking, damaging buildings in Ennis and West Yellowstone and felt throughout the Pacific Northwest.

“It caused a massive landslide in Madison Canyon, which came down the south wall of the canyon across the canyon, 400 feet above the other side of the canyon wall,” Stickney explained. “This huge, massive rock dammed up the Madison River to form a whole new lake known as Earthquake Lake. Tragically, the edge of that slide covered part of the Rock Creek Campground where 26 people at that camp lost their lives. It turned out to be the largest seismic earthquake.” “It caused landslides in North America during historical times.”

Following the earthquake, thermal features within Yellowstone National Park were affected. For example, the Old Faithful geyser saw the interval between eruptions increase from 65 minutes to 74 minutes.

Following the earthquake, thermal features within Yellowstone National Park were affected. For example, the Old Faithful geyser saw the interval between eruptions increase from 65 minutes to 74 minutes.

We have had major earthquakes in the state, and for a while, an event of magnitude 6.0 or stronger occurred about once every decade.

As we discussed, it has been 66 years since the state recorded an earthquake of this magnitude.

This may lead to a false sense of security, as it is not a question of if the region will experience a major earthquake again, but rather a question of when.

When asked: “Do you think western Montana is ready for another major earthquake, similar to what happened at Hebgen Lake?” “We certainly have some issues here in western Montana,” Stickney responded. “It's important to note that buildings built since the 1970s have complied with the National Building Code to withstand seismic tremors. But of course, we have many buildings in Montana cities that were built before that time. In fact, the risk of earthquakes is lower in most people's minds than, say, the wildfires we face every summer or the floods that accompany them, and even though we have a very high risk of earthquakes here, it's been working in the background.”

Is Montana prepared for another major earthquake?

The faults under our feet will move from time to time. The biggest thing we can do is prepare our homes, schools and workplaces for an earthquake.

If you are inside a building when an earthquake occurs, fall to the ground and take cover under a sturdy table or desk and hold on until the shaking stops. Protect your head and neck from falling materials.

If you are outside, move to an open area away from buildings, power lines and trees.

Safety tips for the next earthquake

One day, Earth will give us a shocking surprise, but we can be prepared to know how to stay safe when it happens.

To learn more about earthquakes and the science behind them, watch my previous reports on the NBC Montana YouTube channel.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos