2 Â Earthquakes normally occur at fault lines, because the tectonic plates are in an unstable state around them. Despite being away from a plate boundary, the New Madrid Fault is a fault area under tension. If this tension releases, an earthquake will result.The New Madrid fault line located in seven different states. Missouri, Illinois, Indianan, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas while effecting a large area around it (maybe a third of the states I think). History shows that the New Madrid occurs every two hundred years and it's now a few years past the two hundred year mark. The last time it hit, the Mississippi River flowed backwards and changed course, burying a town named New Madrid which is where is gets it's name from. The earthquake was so strong it rang church bells all the way in Pennsylvania. Â
3.Living in Washington means living with the danger of geologic hazards. The best way to handle that is to know what your work, house and neighborhood face.
As seen in the hubbub around last summer’s New Yorker article about the dangers of a Cascadia quake and in this month’s Kitsap Sun piece about the Seattle Fault, communities around Washington are thinking more and more about how to best be prepared to respond when earthquakes hit.
That’s where DNR comes in.
Our Division of Geology and Earth Resources houses more information than anywhere else about the damages that can stem from earthquakes, tsunamis, and the many other geologic hazards that come with Washington’s dynamic landscape.
DNR geologists have compiled and mapped models of seismic scenarios, giving communities information about how geologic events could impact their schools, hospitals, roads and homes.
Sixth-grade students at Lackamas Elementary School in Yelm, Thurston County, recently helped researchers measure the way seismic waves move through soil by literally jumping into the work. (Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times)
Hazard seismologists, as written about in this Seattle Timesstory, are helping schools determine how their buildings would react to quakes, allowing them to consider options for retrofitting or rebuilding.
We’ve mapped model tsunamis to show what communities might be inundated after a Cascadia quake, identified evacuation routes, and helped communities without high ground that could provide refuge create higher ground of their own.
You can also see how an earthquake might shake your community’s soil on our liquefaction susceptibility maps.
Want to find the best evacuation routes for your community? Our Geologic Information Portal has a tsunami layer that shows tsunami hazard zones, evacuation routes, and assembly areas. Use the address locator tool to find evacuation routes and assembly areas near your home, school or workplace.
4.Effects:
Earthquakes often cause dramatic changes at Earth’s surface. In addition to the ground movements, other surface effects include changes in the flow of groundwater, landslides, and mudflows. Earthquakes can do significant damage to buildings, bridges, pipelines, railways, embankments, dams, and other structures.
Underwater earthquakes can cause giant waves called tsunamis. Violent shaking of the seafloor produces waves that spread over the ocean surface in ever-widening circles. In deep water a tsunami can travel as fast…
Precautions:
(1) Improve your home’s earthquake resilienceEvaluate your home’s earthquake resilience, and improve it through steps such as fastening down furniture and putting anti-shatter coatings on glass windows.
(2) Stockpile water and foodstuffsYou should have at least three days’ worth of drinking water and foodstuffs stockpiled. You should also have radios and flashlights prepared.
(3) Participate in disaster trainingGet to know the people in your community better by getting actively involved in community disaster training.
(4) Discuss disaster preparedness with your familyVerify how you will get in touch with each other and where the relief shelters are.
2. What To Do After an Earthquake
(1) The first two minutes after an earthquakeProtect yourself.
Stay away from furniture that could topple over, and hide under a desk or table. Do not panic and run outside.
(2) Immediately following an earthquakePrevent fires and secure escape routes.
Shut off gas valves and unplug electrical cords. If a fire breaks out, calmly begin to put it out. Secure escape routes by opening doors and windows.
(3) The first three days following an earthquakeMake sure your family is safe, and watch out for aftershocks.
Stay away from houses that have started to collapse. Call out to your neighbors, and depending on the situation, head for a shelter on foot.Assist neighbors with firefighting, rescue, and relief.
Cooperate with your neighbors to put out fires and rescue and attend to the injured.Fend for yourself.
Use the drinking water and food that you’ve stockpiled. Beware of false rumors and rely only on correct information.
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