Small quakes prove New Madrid active
By: Chris Shaw
Issue date: 3/5/10 Section: News
Recent small earthquakes this week have shown that the New Madrid fault is still an active seismic zone for potential natural disasters.
The largest earthquake, registering 3.7, occurred Tuesday at 1:37 p.m. in the New Madrid zone roughly 140 miles northeast of Memphis. The effects of the earthquake were felt as far as St. Peters, Mo. A second followed, at magnitude 1.6.
The zone experienced two more earthquakes on Wednesday, one in Tennessee and another in southeastern Missouri, registering 1.2 and 1.7 respectively. Their effects could be felt as far away as St. Louis.
Tennessee, southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, southern Illinois and western Kentucky make up the recently active New Madrid Fault.
The U of M's Center for Earthquake Research and Information could not be reached for comment.
The largest earthquake, registering 3.7, occurred Tuesday at 1:37 p.m. in the New Madrid zone roughly 140 miles northeast of Memphis. The effects of the earthquake were felt as far as St. Peters, Mo. A second followed, at magnitude 1.6.
The zone experienced two more earthquakes on Wednesday, one in Tennessee and another in southeastern Missouri, registering 1.2 and 1.7 respectively. Their effects could be felt as far away as St. Louis.
Tennessee, southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, southern Illinois and western Kentucky make up the recently active New Madrid Fault.
The U of M's Center for Earthquake Research and Information could not be reached for comment.