U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2009–3071August 2009

Earthquake Hazard in the New Madrid Seismic Zone Remains a Concern

Printed on recycled paper

Th!"!#$%#&"'()#(*"!!+!,-#$,#-.!#%/$!,-$0/#/'++1,$-2#-.(-#(#/',-$,1$,*#/',/!",#!3$%-%#4'"#(#+(5'"#)!%-"1/-$6!#!("-.71(8!#$,#-.!#9!:#;()"$)#%!$%+$/#>$#D$6!"#E(CC!2#"!*$',#("!#61C,!"(&C!#(,)#(-#"$%8#4"'+#%!6!"!#*"'1,)#%.(8$,*= @.$%#(%%!%%+!,-#$%#&(%!)#',#)!/()!%#'4#"!%!("/.#',#9!:#;()"$)#!("-.71(8!%#(,)#"!C(-!)#>.!,'+!,(#&2#)''"-%#-.(-#-.!#9!:#;()"$)#%!$%+$/#(%-#OP#2!("%?#("*1+!,-%#.(6!#&!!,#()6(,/!)#-.(-#-.!"!#$%#,'#&1$C)1>#'4#%-"!%%#(-#)!>-.#:$-.$,#-.!#9!:#;()"$)#%!$%+$/#("-#'4#-.!#/',%!,%1%R&1$C)$,*#>"'/!%%#1%!)#-'#)!6!C'>#-.!#,(-$',(C#%!$%+$/#.(!/$(CC2#$,#C$*.-#'4#-.!#+(,2#'-.!"#-2>!%#'4#)(-(#-.(-#("!#1%!)#-'#/',%-"1/-#-.!#.((%-#P?ZUU#2!("%=#@.!%!#>"!.$%-'"$/#!("-.71(8!%#/(1%!)#%!6!"!#(,)#:$)!%>"!()#*"'1,)#4($C1"!%#$,#-.!#9!:#;()"$)#"!*$',?#+1/.#C$8!#-.'%!#/(1%!)#&2#-.!#OWOOXOT#!("-.R71(8!#%!71!,/!=#@.!#8!2#!6$)!,/!#4'"#C("*!#!("-.71(8!%#-.(-#'//1""!)#$,#-.!#>(%-#("!#%(,)#&C':%#-.(-#4'"+!)#:.!,#1,)!"R*"'1,)#%(,)#(,)#:(-!"#!"1>-!)#-'#-.!#%1"4(/!#(%#(#"!%1C-#'4#6$'RC!,-#%.(8$,*=#91+!"'1%#C("*!#%(,)#&C':%#'6!"#(#:$)!#("!(#:!"!#/"!(-!)#&2#%-"',*#*"'1,)#%.(8$,*#)1"$,*#-.!#OWOOXOT#!("-.R71(8!%=#A$+$C("C2#C("*!?#:$)!%>"!()?#(,)#(&1,)(,-#>"!.$%-'"$/#%(,)#&C':%#:!"!#>"')1/!)#'6!"#-.!#%(+!#("!(#)1"$,*#*"'1,)#

%.(8$,*#4"'+#>"!6$'1%#/C1%-!"%#'4#C("*!#!("-.71(8!%#("'1,)#Q=[=#OPZU?#Q=[=#\UU?#(,)#T]ZU#N=G=#@.!#%$"!.$%-'"$/#%(,)#&C':%#$,)$/(-!#-.(-#-.!#'C)!"#!("-.71(8!%#:!"!#%$+$C("#$,#C'/(-$',#(,)#+(*,$-1)!#-'#-.!#OWOOXOT#%.'/8%=

Memphis

Nashville

St. Louis

Indianapolis

MISSOURI

ARKANSAS

MISSISSIPPI

ALABAMA

TENNESSEE

KENTUCKY

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

Little Rock

Evansville

Springfield

Huntsville

Columbia

Birmingham

Florence

Jackson

Paducah

Louisville

Bloomington

Peoria

Decatur

Jonesboro

Springfield

Pine  Bluff

Owensboro

Danville

Terre Haute

Mount Vernon

Poplar Bluff

Cape Girardeau

Hot Springs

Quincy

Ottumwa

IOWA

LOUISIANA

Hopkinsville

Bowling Green

1976

1843

18111811

1865

18121812

1991

1903

1917

1838

18911968

2008

1987

1990

1895

1909

1916

New Madridseismic zone

93°W41°N

40°N

39°N

38°N

37°N

36°N

35°N

34°N

33°N

92°W 91°W 90°W 89°W 88°W 87°W 86°W

55

55

Topographic map showing earthquakes greater than magnitude 2.5 (circles) of the central United States. Red circles are earthquakes that occurred after 1972 (U.S. Geological Survey Preliminary Determination of Epicenters (PDE) catalog). Blue circles are earthquakes that occurred before 1973 (USGS PDE and historical catalog). Larger earthquakes are represented by larger circles. Yellow patches show urban areas with populations greater than 10,000.

Continuing Seismic Activity

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Likely Impacts from Future Large Earthquakes

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Continuing Preparedness Needed

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