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Foreshock? A
Significant Earthquake Just Hit the New Madrid Fault Seismic Zone
Could the earthquake that just struck the New Madrid fault seismic zone near the town of La Center, Kentucky, be a "foreshock" for a much bigger quake yet to come? (Pixel Fantasy/Flickr/Creative Commons)
Could
the earthquake that just struck the New Madrid Fault seismic zone near the town
of La Center, Kentucky, be a "foreshock" for a much bigger quake yet
to come? Very early on Sunday morning, a magnitude-3.5 earthquake hit western
Kentucky, and it was felt in parts of three other states as well.
In
fact, it is being reported that the quake could be felt all the way over in
Miller, Missouri, which is 267 miles away. The New Madrid fault seismic zone is
six times larger than the more famous San Andreas Fault zone in California, and
it covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky,
Tennessee and Mississippi.
Scientists
tell us that the New Madrid fault is about 30 years overdue
for a major event, and because of the nature of the Earth's crust in that part
of the country, a major earthquake would do significant damage all the way to
the east coast.
A
big Hollywood blockbuster was named after the San Andreas Fault, but the truth
is that the New Madrid Fault has the potential to do vastly more damage. That
is why what happened in a remote section of western Kentucky very early Sunday
morning was so alarming:
An
earthquake near La Center, Kentucky was felt in parts of Illinois and Missouri
early on Sunday morning.
According
to the National Weather Service in Paducah and the USGS, a magnitude 3.5 was
recorded about 8.7 miles north of La Center and 24.2 miles west of Paducah. It
happened around 1:12 a.m. and had a depth of about 8.3 miles.
Quite
often, there are "foreshocks" that warn us that a major earthquake is
coming to a particular area, and many are wondering if this event qualifies.
Most
Americans don't tend to think of the middle of the country as an area that is
in danger from earthquakes, but the truth is that some of the worst earthquakes
in U.S. history have taken place along the New Madrid Fault. The following
comes from the USGS:
The New Madrid seismic zone of
southeast Missouri and adjacent States is the most seismically active in North
America east of the Rockies. During the winter of 1811-1812 three very large
earthquakes devastated the area and were felt throughout most of the Nation.
They occurred a few weeks apart on December 16, January 23, and
February 7.
Hundreds
of aftershocks, some severely damaging by themselves, continued for years.
Prehistoric earthquakes similar in size to those of 1811-1812 occurred in the
middle 1400's and around 900 A.D. Strong, damaging earthquakes struck the
southwestern end of the seismic zone near Marked Tree, Arkansas in 1843
(magnitude 6.3), and the northeastern end near Charleston, Missouri in 1895
(magnitude 6.6).
Since
1900, moderately damaging earthquakes have struck the seismic zone every few
decades.
Those
earthquakes in 1811 and 1812 tore thousands of very deep fissures in the
ground, they caused the Mississippi River to actually run backward in some
places, and they caused sidewalks to crack in Washington, D.C., and church
bells to ring in Boston.
In
our time, the U.S. Geological Survey has admitted that the New Madrid Fault
zone has the "potential for larger and more
powerful quakes than previously thought,"
and we have seen the number of significant earthquakes in the middle part of
the country more than quintuple in recent years.
If
a magnitude-7.0 or magnitude-8.0 earthquake were to strike along the New Madrid
Fault today, the damage that would be done would be absolutely unimaginable
because of the nature of the Earth's crust in this region.
According
to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, earthquakes along the New
Madrid Fault "shake and damage an
area approximately 20 times larger than earthquakes in California."
Due
to the harder, colder, drier and less fractured nature of the rocks in the
earth's crust in the central United States, earthquakes in this region shake and
damage an area approximately 20 times larger than earthquakes in California and
most other active seismic areas.
Even
though large earthquakes occur much less frequently in the NMSZ than in
California, the long term average quake threat, in terms of square miles
affected per century, is about the same because of the approximately 20 times
larger area affected in the central United States.
Are
you starting to get an idea of just how devastating this kind of disaster could
be?
Once
upon a time, our continent almost divided along the New Madrid Fault. Of course
that didn't happen, but a massive scar formed deep underground, and this area
of weakness has remained ever since. The following comes from Wikipedia:
“The faults responsible
for the New Madrid Seismic Zone are embedded in a subsurface geological feature
known as the Reelfoot Rift that formed during the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia in the Neoproterozoic Era (about
750 million years ago). The resulting rift system failed to split the continent,
but has remained as an aulacogen (a
scar or zone of weakness) deep underground, and its ancient faults appear to have made the Earth's
crust in the New Madrid area mechanically weaker than much of the rest of North
America.”
This
relative weakness is important, because it would allow the relatively small
east-west compressive forces associated with the continuing continental
drift of the North American plate to
reactivate old faults around New Madrid, making the area unusually prone to
earthquakes in spite of it being far from the nearest tectonic plate boundary.
One
day, I believe that a major seismic event in the area of this deep scar will
literally divide the United States in half.
What
that will do to our country is the kind of stuff that apocalyptic novels are
written about.
And
it is also important to keep in mind that there are 15 nuclear reactors along
the New Madrid Fault zone, so if a massive earthquake did strike the region, we
could be looking at Fukushima times 15.
So
yes, I am always concerned whenever a significant earthquake hits the New
Madrid Fault.
In
Matthew 24, Jesus warned us that the time just prior to His return would be
marked by earthquakes in diverse places, and right now we are witnessing a
dramatic rise in seismic activity all over the planet.
A
great shaking is coming to this nation, and the majority of Americans are completely
unprepared for it.
Are
you?
Are
you struggling with a big decision or wondering how your eternal future will
play out?
Why
not talk to the God of the universe and let Him work in your behalf?
He
says, “I will instruct you and teach you
the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8).
Ask
God to show you what to do. Pray the following prayer:
“Heavenly Father,
I admit that I am a sinner and my
sins have separated me from you. I now want to turn away from my past sinful
life and begin a new life with you.
Please forgive me. I now receive
your Son, Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my Lord. I believe and
confess that Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and rose from the dead.
I want to receive all that Jesus
Christ has provided for me as my Savior. Your Word says, "Whosoever shall
call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
I believe and confess that Jesus
Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes unto the Father,
but by Him.
Lord Jesus, I pray and ask You, to
come into my heart and be Lord of my life. I thank you that you have given me
eternal life, and according to your Word, I am born again.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift
of the Holy Spirit that is in me now. I surrender my life to you. Use me for
your glory.
In Jesus Name. Amen.”
lyrics
You don't have to worry
And don't you be afraid
Joy comes in the morning
Troubles they don't last always
For there's a friend named Jesus
Who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken
Just lift your hands and say
CHORUS
Oh! I know that I can make it
I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands
You don't have to worry
And don't you be afraid
Joy comes in the morning
Troubles they don't last always
For there's a friend named Jesus
Who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken
Just lift your hands and say
CHORUS
CHORUS II
With Jesus I can take it
With Him I know I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands
So when your tests and trials
They seem to get you down
And all your friends and loved ones
Are nowhere to be found
Remember there's a friend named Jesus
Who will wipe your tears away
And if you heart is broken
Just lift your hands and say
CHORUS
CHORUS II
CHORUS
CHORUS II
CHORUS
CHORUS II
MY life is in Your hands (3x)
And don't you be afraid
Joy comes in the morning
Troubles they don't last always
For there's a friend named Jesus
Who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken
Just lift your hands and say
CHORUS
Oh! I know that I can make it
I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands
You don't have to worry
And don't you be afraid
Joy comes in the morning
Troubles they don't last always
For there's a friend named Jesus
Who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken
Just lift your hands and say
CHORUS
CHORUS II
With Jesus I can take it
With Him I know I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands
So when your tests and trials
They seem to get you down
And all your friends and loved ones
Are nowhere to be found
Remember there's a friend named Jesus
Who will wipe your tears away
And if you heart is broken
Just lift your hands and say
CHORUS
CHORUS II
CHORUS
CHORUS II
CHORUS
CHORUS II
MY life is in Your hands (3x)
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