Latest NMB News
- National Earthquake Conference Registration Now Open
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Online Registration is now OPEN for the National Earthquake Conference!
Dates: April 10-13, 2012
Location: Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tennessee
Registration Fees:
Early Bird Registration ends January 31: $395
January 15 to March 15: $450
After March 15: $550With the theme of "Learning from the Past to Protect the Future," the joint National Earthquake Conference and Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Annual Conference program commemorates the 200th anniversary of the historic series of strong earthquakes that struck the New Madrid seismic zone in late 1811 and early 1812. It will feature many lessons from recent and historic earthquakes that are applicable to the practice of U.S. professionals. The meeting is jointly hosted by EERI and the NEHRP consortia*, and will consist of both plenary and concurrent sessions to ensure an abundance of offerings for engineers, scientists, emergency managers, and policy makers.
Visit http://2012am.eeri.org/ for information about the program, the hotel, and how to submit abstracts for one of the poster sessions (deadline January 23).
Read more... - OpEd: USGS Director on 1811-12 Earthquakes
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Earthquake Preparedness: Not Just for Left Coasters
It was a warm winter night 200 years ago when the ground and buildings started shaking from a strong earthquake in the upper Mississippi River valley near New Madrid, Mo. The first in a series of quakes struck on Dec. 16 around 2:15 a.m., and the few thousand pioneer settlers in the region did not understand what was happening, much less what to do about it. People panicked and ran outside during several long minutes of strong shaking. Unfortunately, this frightened response would likely be repeated in the central U.S. today, as it was when a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck central Virginia earthquake on Aug. 23, and again when a magnitude 5.6 quake struck east-central Oklahoma on Nov. 6.
Read more... - New Bicentennial Podcast Available
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From the Museum of Science in Boston, a new podcast on the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-12 have been recorded. According to their website describing the podcast:
"To recognize the bicentennial of the New Madrid earthquakes that started in the central U.S. on December 16, 1811, three earthquake experts -- John Ebel from Boston College, Jim Kaklamanos from Tufts University, and Paul Morey from FEMA -- share their views on earthquake science and preparedness, and compare the seismic history of New Madrid to that of New England."
To dowload the podcast, visit - http://www.mos.org/events_activities/podcasts&d=5310
- 200 Years Ago Today
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December 16, 2011 - Two hundred years ago today, a major earthquake struck the New Madrid Seismic Zone. This earthquake was the first of several major seismic events that rocked the central U.S. during the winter of 1811-12. Were they to happen today, these earthquakes could cause widespread damage and disruption to the region. If a major earthquake were to happen today, would you be prepared? Would you or your family members know how to respond? Take time now, to become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters. What we do now, before the next big earthquake, will determine what our lives are like afterwards. If you haven’t yet, please sign up for the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, which is scheduled for February 7, 2012 at 10:15AM. Take the time now, to ensure that you are properly prepared for earthquakes.
Earthquake Resources
Recent Central U.S. Earthquake Activity - CERI
Worldwide Earthquake Activity - USGS
Prepare Your Home & Work for Earthquakes - IBHS
Be Informed, Make a Plan, Build a Kit - Ready.Gov
New Madrid Bicentennial WebsiteContact your State Emergency Management Agency for more information on earthquakes and other disasters that may impact your state.
- New Madrid Quakes Bicentennial Puts Focus on Future Calamity
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December 11, 2011
James Bruggers: Reporter
(502) 582-4645Series of huge tremors occurred 200 years ago; New Madrid quakes likely to come again
Two centuries ago Friday, the first of three powerful earthquakes along the New Madrid fault zone jolted the lower Midwest and shook much of the nation.
Buildings were flattened near the epicenter in Arkansas, and chimneys toppled hundreds of miles away. Boats on the Mississippi River were overturned. And large tracts of land became like liquid, swallowing croplands, grasslands and bottomland forests, leaving surface scars visible to this day.
Read more...
1811-1812 New Madrid Earthquakes Bicentennial
Several of the largest historical earthquakes to strike the continental United States occurred in the winter of 1811-1812 along the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which stretches from just west of Memphis, Tennessee into southern Illinois. These earthquakes produced at least three temblors between magnitude 7-8, and hundreds of aftershocks.
In 2011 and 2012, there will be events held throughout the central United States observing the 200th Anniversary of the great 1811 and 1812 New Madrid earthquakes that forever changed the mid-western landscape. These quakes were felt across the U.S. and as far south as the Gulf of Mexico, and as far north as Canada. Organizations from across the United States will participate in the bicentennial events, which range from conferences, workshops, public outreach events, multi-state earthquake exercises, field trips, and more. Organizers of the New Madrid Bicentennial events (NMB) are already planning the following activities:
Official Bicentennial Kickoff - February 11, 2011
2011 Earthquake Awareness Month - Throughout February 2011
2011 Seismological Society of America Meeting - April 13-16, 2011
National Level Exercise (NLE2011) - May 16-20, 2011
National Preparedness Month - September 2011
2012 Earthquake Awareness Month - Throughout February 2012
Great Central U.S. ShakeOut - February 7, 2012 @ 10:15a.m.
2012 National Earthquake Conference and EERI Annual Meeting - April 10-14, 2012
St. Jude Dream Home Partnership - April 2012