Newswise — Researchers at the Center for Community Earthquake Preparedness say Thursday's 4.0-estimated magnitude quake in the New Madrid fault zone underscores the need for Mid-South emergency management officials to have a seismic response plan ready. The quake, which occurred just after 8 a.m. Thursday, was centered in northeastern Arkansas near the town of Caraway, according to early reports. The quake was felt as far away as several places in Mississippi.
Together with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, CCEP researchers have been formulating a statewide hazard mitigation plan aimed at decreasing casualties and structural damage in the event of a major earthquake. The researchers, who include engineers and geologists from the University of Mississippi School of Engineering, can offer insights on Thursday's quake, the likelihood of a quake closer to home and what Mississippians can do to prepare.
For more information on CCEP, visit http://www.olemiss.edu/orgs/ccep/. From CCEP's Web site, users can link to the U.S. Geological Survey's earthquake site to see a map of the where the quake was centered. Residents are also encouraged to fill out the "Did You Feel It?" survey on the USGS site.
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