The New Madrid Seismic Zone Lurking in America’s Heartland
Hidden beneath the soft river sediments of the Mississippi Valley lies one of America’s most dangerous earthquake threats. The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), located in southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, western Kentucky and southern Illinois, is the most active seismic area in the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains. Most Americans probably don’t even know this zone exists, yet when damaging earthquakes do occur, the destruction covers more than 15 times the area because of the underlying geology and soil conditions prevalent in the region. According to the…..