SIKESTON, Mo. – The State-Emergency Management Agency hosted it’s first ever Missouri Earthquake Summit in Sikeston to discuss the risks presented by the New Madrid Seismic Zone, earthquake response planning and capabilities, and how to strengthen community preparedness.
The New Madrid Seismic Zone, centered in Southeast Missouri, is the most active seismic area in the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains, with about 200 tiny earthquakes occurring each year.
It includes parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
In 1811 and 12, the New Madrid Seismic Zone produced some of the strongest earthquakes ever felt in North America.
While no one can predict exactly when an earthquake will occur, scientists agree that a large New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake is a significant risk.
The summit brought together members of several state departments and local officials that would play key roles in responding to an earthquake and the recovery that would follow.