This week is Earthquake Preparedness Week in Arkansas, which Gov. Mike Beebe declared as Feb. 11 – 14 this year.
This week comes as a reminder to be ready for earthquakes, after a series of major earthquakes struck the Mississippi River Valley along the New Madrid Seismic Zone more than 200 years ago.
While Arkansas’ largest threat occurs in an area known as the New Madrid Seismic Zone, earthquakes can happen anywhere in the Natural State. The New Madrid Seismic Zone includes portions of Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. This is where our largest earthquake, of a magnitude 7.7 occurred in 1811.
“Preparation is the key to minimizing deaths, injuries, property damage and economic loss before a disaster occurs,” said Arkansas Dept. of Emergency Management Director David Maxwell. “While Arkansans know the threat of tornadoes, floods and ice storms, it is important to remember that earthquakes pose a significant threat as well. Unlike the other threats, earthquakes cannot be predicted. This is why it is important to be even more vigilant about the earthquake threat.”
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