An earthquake hits the New Madrid earthquake zone

The epicenter of today's earthquake is located at the orange point inside the concentric circles. Image: USGS

Hundreds of people have used the USGS's “Did You Feel It?” Reporting tool to report the shaking they felt as a result of today's earthquake in the middle of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, or NMSZ for short.

The earthquake occurred near Ridgely, Tennessee at 3:19 a.m. today. At a depth of 6 km, the 3.8 magnitude quake was one of the strongest to hit the region in recent times. .

While today's earthquake was relatively insignificant with no reports of major damage, authorities are concerned that people are not properly prepared when a major earthquake hits this area. Whether a more devastating earthquake occurs in this region is a matter of “when”, not “if.” These earthquakes in Tennessee in particular were within the New Madrid Seismic Zone, or NMSZ for short; While the other two quakes were far from significant, they struck an area where a major earthquake could occur again at some point in the future.

The New Madrid seismic zone remains active, and another large earthquake strong enough to shake the entire eastern United States still looms on the horizon. Image: USGS

The NMSZ has a violent history that experts say will repeat itself, although no one is sure when that will happen.

Dec. 16 marks the anniversary of the first of three major earthquakes that struck the United States during the winter of 1811-1812, a violent period in the region's seismic history that scientists say will happen again.

While the West Coast of the United States is known for its seismic faults and powerful earthquakes, many do not realize that one of the largest earthquakes to hit the country actually occurred near the Mississippi River. On December 16, 1811, at approximately 2:15 a.m., a powerful 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Arkansas in what is now known as the New Madrid Seismic Zone. The quake was felt across much of the eastern United States, shaking people out of bed in places like New York City, Washington, D.C., and Charleston, South Carolina. The ground shook for an incredible 1-3 minutes in areas hit hard by the quake, such as Nashville, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky. Ground movements were so violent near the epicenter that the ground was observed to liquefy, with dirt and water spraying dozens of feet into the air. President James Madison and his wife, Dolly, felt the earthquake in the White House, while church bells rang in Boston due to the shaking there.

But the earthquakes did not end there. From December 16, 1811 through March 1812, more than 2,000 earthquakes were reported in the central Midwest, with 6,000 to 10,000 earthquakes occurring in Bothell, Missouri, where the New Madeleine Seismic Zone is centered.

Comparison of damage extent between a moderate earthquake in the New Madrid area (1895, magnitude 6.8) and a similar event in Los Angeles (1994, magnitude 6.7). Yellow indicates where the vibration is felt; Red indicates at least minor damage to buildings and their contents. Image: USGS

The second major shock, with a magnitude of 7.8, struck in Missouri weeks later on January 23, 1812, and the third, with a magnitude of 8.8, struck on February 7, 1812, along the Reelfoot Fault in Missouri and Tennessee.

Major earthquakes and severe aftershocks caused significant damage and some loss of life, although the lack of scientific instruments and news gathering of the era was unable to capture the full extent of what actually happened. In addition to tremors, earthquakes have also been responsible for triggering unusual natural phenomena in the region: earthquake lights, seismically hot water, and earthquake smog.

Since 1974, more than 4,000 earthquakes have occurred near the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Scientists believe that a major earthquake here in the future is not a matter of if but when. Image: USGS

Residents in the Mississippi Valley reported seeing lights flashing from the ground. Scientists believe that this phenomenon was “seismic scintillation”; This light is generated when quartz crystals in the ground are compressed. “Earthquake lights” were turned on during initial earthquakes and strong aftershocks.

Water flowing into the air from the ground, or from the nearby Mississippi River, was also unusually warm. Scientists speculate that the intense vibration and resulting friction heated the water, similar to the way a microwave oven stimulates molecules to vibrate and generate heat. Other scientists believe that when the quartz crystals were compressed, the light they emitted also helped heat the water.

During strong earthquakes, the sky turned so dark that residents claimed that lit lamps did not help illuminate the area; They also said the air smelled bad and it was difficult to breathe. Scientists speculate that this “seismic smog” is caused by dust particles rising from the surface, combining with the explosion of warm water molecules in the cold winter air. The result was a dusty, steamy cloud that covered the areas hit by the quake.

The February earthquake was so severe that boaters on the Mississippi River reported that the water flow there was reversed for several hours.

The area is still seismically active and scientists believe that another strong earthquake will affect the area again at some point in the future. Unfortunately, the science is not mature enough to know whether this threat will arrive next week or in 50 years. In either case, because the population of the New Madrid Seismic Zone is huge compared to the sparsely populated area of ​​the early 19th century, and tens of millions live in an area that may experience major earthquakes, there could be very large losses of life and property. When another big earthquake strikes here again in the future.

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