Central & Eastern US: Do you worry about a major earthquake?

[senorpepr]

Well, I suppose a meteorite might crash into the Gulf off HOU and cause a tsunami, but for the combination of low natural disaster risk and no state income tax, and a pleasant climate, with all four seasons, including a cold season, but with a cold season that usually has short outbreaks of cold between longer mild periods, and, again, no state income tax, SE Texas is about perfect.

No thanks, I'll pass on SE Texas. The natural disaster risk isn't all that much higher in other parts of the nation and SE Texas climate doesn't really say "pleasant" to me. Besides... what cold season? You're not like some of our Florida residents crying about a cold 50 degrees, are you?


Anyway, I lived in Missouri for many years and still live within the "yellow" region... but I'm not worried. When was the last significant earthquake? I'm not going to waste my energy bracing for the next quake. I have better things to worry about.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Well, I suppose a meteorite might crash into the Gulf off HOU and cause a tsunami, but for the combination of low natural disaster risk and no state income tax, and a pleasant climate, with all four seasons, including a cold season, but with a cold season that usually has short outbreaks of cold between longer mild periods, and, again, no state income tax, SE Texas is about perfect.

No thanks, I'll pass on SE Texas. The natural disaster risk isn't all that much higher in other parts of the nation and SE Texas climate doesn't really say "pleasant" to me. Besides... what cold season? You're not like some of our Florida residents crying about a cold 50 degrees, are you?


Anyway, I lived in Missouri for many years and still live within the "yellow" region... but I'm not worried. When was the last significant earthquake? I'm not going to waste my energy bracing for the next quake. I have better things to worry about.

NWS forecast is for 41ºF, and I have scraped frost off my windshield 3 or 4 times already this winter!

[senorpepr]

NWS forecast is for 41ºF, and I have scraped frost off my windshield 3 or 4 times already this winter!

Holy cow, just three or four times?!

Please, I hope you realize I am just joking around and I am not being too serious. (Although, I still stand on passing up SE Texas.)

[MiamiensisWx]

An earthquake has gotta be the disaster I would most be afraid of. That or a flood. In regards to this topic, all I say is thank goodness I'm out of Michigan and in Arizona, where we can't get them!

-Andrew92

That's totally false.

http://earthquakes.asu.edu/azeq.html

"The most common historic earthquakes occur between Flagstaff and the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Areas of relatively higher earthquake hazard for Arizona are in the northwest quarter of the state and the far southwest where the hazard is due to the potential for earthquake rupture along the southernmost San Andreas Fault system of California.

The largest historic events (M6-6.2) occured in the early twentieth century (1906 and 1912) and have been located by NAU seismologists near and north of Flagstaff. The largest historic earthquake (M7.4) in the region occured in northern Sonora Mexico in 1887 (about 50 miles south-southeast of Douglas AZ) and caused damage in Tucson and was probably felt in Phoenix."

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/events/1959_07_21.php

"Arizona-Utah Border
1959 07 21 17:39:29 UTC
Magnitude 5.60
Intensity VI

Largest Earthquake in Arizona

Minor damage to chimneys and walls was reported at Fredonia, Arizona, and Kanab, Utah, about 15 kilometers north of Fredonia. In addition, windows broke in houses and stores and dishes fell from shelves at Fredonia. Almost all mechandise was shaken from shelves in stores. A rockslide at Mather Point in the Grand Canyon was attributed to the shock.

Abridged from Seismicity of the United States, 1568-1989 (Revised), by Carl W. Stover and Jerry L. Coffman, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1527, United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1993."

You're definitely not safe from flooding in Arizona, too.

[angelwing]

Meanwhile during this discussion:

January 29, 2008 Tuesday 3.1 EQ
Location: 32.898N, 100.842W
REGION: WESTERN TEXAS [USA]
13 Miles NNE from Snyder, Texas
19 Miles NNW from Hermleigh, Texas
22 Miles W from Rotan, Texas
71 Miles WNW from Abilene, Texas
235 Miles W from Dallas, Texas
[3.1 Miles Deep]
USGS

[Andrew92]

I didn't realize that! That map made me look like we don't get earthquakes here. But as for floods, yeah, I'll agree there because it rained like crazy the last couple days.

But please keep in mind, I only recently moved to Arizona. I have much to learn.

-Andrew92

[Miss Mary]

If anyone's interested, I found a link for the 12.3.90 new madrid earthquake prediction (the warning I mentioned above).
http://www.ky3.com/features/rewind/11975221.html

[Ed Mahmoud]

Meanwhile during this discussion:

January 29, 2008 Tuesday 3.1 EQ
Location: 32.898N, 100.842W
REGION: WESTERN TEXAS [USA]
13 Miles NNE from Snyder, Texas
19 Miles NNW from Hermleigh, Texas
22 Miles W from Rotan, Texas
71 Miles WNW from Abilene, Texas
235 Miles W from Dallas, Texas
[3.1 Miles Deep]
USGS

Western Texas gets the occasional, usually weak, earthquake. There may be a failed rift zone along the Rio Grande.

The only fatality in a Texas earthquake didn't happen in Texas, it happened in Cd Juarez, when a home collapsed.

[senorpepr]

If anyone's interested, I found a link for the 12.3.90 new madrid earthquake prediction (the warning I mentioned above).
http://www.ky3.com/features/rewind/11975221.html

Thanks for posting that Mary.

I was leaving in Missouri, going through school, at that time. I remember have frequent earthquake briefings and drills, much like our tornado briefings and drills.

:yawn:

Earthquake predictions are funny.

[coriolis]

I guess I'm pretty safe here, but I probably get a 4.0 on the Richter scale when the kids run up and down the steps.