FOR RELEASE WEEK OF November 13, 2006
Contact..Kyle Steward...662-844-5437

REPORT FROM CONGRESS
By U. S. Rep. Roger F. Wicker

WICKER: EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS IS PRUDENT STEP

Emergency responders, government officials, and community leaders from 17 states convened in St. Louis in late October to discuss preparedness plans in the event of a major earthquake along the New Madrid fault. Parts of Mississippi would be at risk if an earthquake struck in this 150-mile long seismic zone.

I am a member of the New Madrid Earthquake Congressional Working Group, which has focused attention on this issue. A Congressional field hearing was held this summer in Missouri to formulate a federal response plan and highlight the need for greater cooperation among agencies. The October meeting in St. Louis is another indication of the commitment at all levels of government and in our communities to be ready should such a dramatic natural disaster occur.

LITTLE ADVANCE WARNING

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) is playing a leadership role in this effort. DRA federal co-chair Pete Johnson noted that while we have advance notice of approaching hurricanes, there would be no time to brace for a massive earthquake. "We are going to have the kind of warning we had on 9-11," he said.

Experts say mapping out response plans for an earthquake is also different from other disasters because of the large land area that could be affected. They predict that even a moderate quake could produce devastating effects on highways and bridges, commercial and residential structures, and disrupt essential services in an area that could span as many as seven states.

MISS. COULD TAKE A HIT

The New Madrid Seismic Zone begins in southern Illinois and runs south and west through New Madrid, Missouri, and then into Arkansas. It also extends into Kentucky and Tennessee. While Mississippi would not likely take a direct hit, our state could suffer extensive damage if a major earthquake struck along this fault line.

Four of the largest earthquakes in American history hit in this region over a three month period in the early 1880s. Geologists say the magnitude of these massive disturbances would have registered 8.0 or higher on the Richter scale. They caused catastrophic damage over a wide area. According to historians, the earthquakes forced the Mississippi River to reverse course temporarily and made church bells ring as far away as Boston.

FAULT LINE IS ACTIVE

Seismic activity occurs almost daily along the New Madrid fault line. Tremors registering 1.0 on the Richter scale are recorded up to 20 times a month and tremors reaching a 4.0 magnitude are not uncommon. Geologists conclude that the New Madrid Seismic Zone poses the greatest earthquake danger in the U.S. outside the west coast. They believe strong, potentially devastating, earthquakes in the New Madrid Zone are certain to occur in the future.

While no one can say whether a major event will strike next year or 20 years from now, we can and should take action to prepare for it. Local, state, and federal authorities are working to meet that challenge. One step that Mississippi homeowners could take today is to secure earthquake insurance. I have added earthquake coverage to my homeowners policy, and I believe it is a prudent action that individuals and families across Mississippi should also consider.