Last month marked the 200th anniversary of the infamous Mississippi River valley violent magnitude 7 – 8 earthquakes.
These catastrophic quakes caused hundreds of aftershocks greater than magnitude 3 and within a couple months estimated to have had 2,000 aftershocks.
Despite this event being so long ago, a risk of a similar sequence of earthquakes exists in the same area, the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which threatens Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The likelihood of a magnitude-6 or higher earthquake occurring over the next few decades is about 25 – 50 percent.
Can you imagine if cities like Memphis, St. Louis and Nashville were hit with a magnitude 7 or higher earthquake? It’s important that these areas understand the history of their geographic area to better prepare themselves for earthquake hazards.
This year the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is encouraging the eight states in the New Madrid Seismic Zone to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut drill. The event will teach preparedness tips such as how to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” during an earthquake.
Other ways to prepare for a possible earthquake is to reinforce weak building structures. Stone renovation systems and composite panels can be a realistic way for building owners to ensure their existing structures are safe and can withstand natural disasters.
At Stone Panels Inc., we put our products through rigorous testing methods to ensure they’re the strongest.
Panels manufactured by Stone Panels, Inc. exhibit exceptional flexural strength, which is ideal for seismic zones. [StonePanels] Panels have passed shear tests, simulating seismic loading, conducted in accordance with ASTM E – 72. They have also passed full-scale seismic testing per CSTB Guidelines (France). In addition, these panels have been tested to resist up to 60 times more impact than solid 3 cm thick granite.
For more information about our seismic load testing and building capabilities, visit StonePanels.com or contact us directly.
