Mother Nature is often unpredictable. But, scientists have fantastic tools to help us learn more about Earth and how things work. The ability to predict serious weather and get the word out about dangerous situations has undoubtedly saved millions. Earthquake Specialists recently convened in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to unveil an online tool that shows the potential impact of a serious earthquake on the New Madrid fault system. Per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, or CUSEC, met on March 18 to share its findings at the annual SEMA Earthquake Summit. Experts believe an earthquake may be coming that would rival devastation not seen since the late 1800s in the region.
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— Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium (@eqconsortium) March 19, 2025
An Earthquake On The New Madrid Fault Line Could Affect Hundreds Of Thousands
Experts said an earthquake in the Missouri Bootheel region in 1811 and 1812 was felt as far as Washington, D.C. Experts don’t anticipate a quake that strong soon, but some project it could happen in the next 50 years.
The model shows in a “worst case scenario,” more than 20,000 households were displaced, and there could be approximately 500 deaths. The damages could be upwards of $75 billion, in just one area in Missouri.
The interactive tool allows users to enter their home state, county, and earthquake category to see just how much damage an earthquake could cause. The deadliest scenario predicts nearly 3,000 people killed and $145.8 billion in damages in the Memphis, Tennessee, area.
Brian Blake, CUSEC’s executive director, explained, “The tool is for planning purposes. This gives us something to plan to.”
Blake explained that they “have the recipe” for a New Madrid earthquake and that the developers created a“choose-your-own-adventure planning tool.”
Jeff Briggs, earthquake program manager for the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, or SEMA, said it’s just a matter of time before the New Madrid Seismic Zone erupts.
“It’s going to be a challenge unlike anything we’ve ever seen, which is why it’s so important to talk about it.”
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