What was the worst earthquake in Illinois?
The largest Illinois earthquake ever recorded occurred on November 9, 1968, and measured 5.4 on the Richter scale. The last damaging earthquake in Illinois occurred on June 10, 1987, near Olney in southeast Illinois.
Why did the meckering earthquake happen?
Trenching across the scarp took place in 1990, and it was concluded that the Meckering earthquake was the result of the reactivation of an old fault line, possibly tens of thousands years old. Unfortunately today aprroximately only 1.5km of the acual fault scarp remains which is located 12 km South/West of Meckering.
What is the largest earthquake to hit the Midwest and affect Illinois?
1968 Illinois earthquake
The 1968 Illinois earthquake (a New Madrid event) was the largest recorded earthquake in the U.S. Midwestern state of Illinois. Striking at 11:02 am on November 9, it measured 5.4 on the Richter scale.
Is there a fault line in Illinois?
Despite not being located near a large fault line such as those in California, Illinois is at risk. A series of small quakes have been felt along the New Madrid Fault recently as last week; that runs from far southern Illinois to the south and west.
How long did the Meckering earthquake last?
40 seconds
The earthquake lasted for 40 seconds, was felt across the southern half of Western Australia, and rattled pots and pans as far as 700 kilometres away. Monday was washing day, and a change in the weather at Meckering had caused many women to be out at the clothesline.
Where is the earthquake fault line in Illinois?
The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is a 150-mile long fault zone spanning four states in the Midwestern United States (see Figure 1). The NMSZ lies within the central Mississippi Valley, extending from northeast Arkansas, through southeast Missouri, western Tennessee, and western Kentucky to southern Illinois.
How likely is an earthquake in Illinois?
There is up to a 40 percent chance for a major earthquake in Illinois according to FEMA.
How big was the Meckering earthquake in 1968?
MECKERING EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION At 10.59a.m. on the 14th October 1968, the small town of Meckering, about 130 km east of Perth, was destroyed by an earthquake. The magnitude of the Meckering earthquake was 6.9 on the Richter Scale making it one of the largest recorded in the seismic history of Australia.
When did the earthquake happen in Meckering wa?
Until the 14th October 1968, Meckering’s residents were experiencing typical small country town life. But at 10.59am the fate and the future of the town changed dramatically when in only 40 seconds WA’s most significant earthquake devastated the town.
What was the cause of the 1968 earthquake in Illinois?
However, scientists eventually realized the cause was a then-unknown fault, the Cottage Grove Fault, a small tear in the Earth’s rock in the Southern Illinois Basin near the city of Harrisburg, Illinois.
What was the largest earthquake in Illinois history?
The 1968 Illinois earthquake (a “New Madrid event”) was the largest recorded earthquake in the U.S. Midwestern state of Illinois.