Illinois Seismic Zone Might Be More Dangerous Than Missouri’s?

For decades if not hundreds of years, the general consensus is the most dangerous seismic zone in the Midwest is the New Madrid Fault in southern Missouri. There's a claim I've uncovered by several seismologists that says the most dangerous earthquake area isn't in Missouri, but in Illinois instead.

I have no doubt you're familiar with the New Madrid Fault especially if you live in the southern half of Missouri. I won't assume that you've heard of the Wabash Valley seismic zone which is located in east-central Illinois, though. Since there have been a recent uptick of strange quakes in Illinois especially recently, I decided to do some research on what the earthquake area in Illinois is capable of and found a remarkable quote from some Washington University seismologists. An article from Washington University entitled "Earthquake in Illinois could portend an emerging threat" includes this quote.

“I think everyone’s interested in the Wabash Valley Fault because a lot of the attention has been on the New Madrid Fault, but the Wabash Valley Fault could be the more dangerous one, at least for St. Louis and Illinois,” - Seismologist Douglas Wiens, Washington University

While I would recommend reading their full paper, I can summarize what the two Washington University seismologists said. Even thought it was written many many years ago, it's still worth a read. The short version is they believe that the 1811 and 1812 New Madrid quake effects have been exaggerated over time. They also point out that the Wabash Valley seismic zone is technically located closer to St. Louis than the New Madrid Fault which makes any major quake in that region possibly more dangerous for a bigger population.

Here's the bottom line. The USGS says we can't predict earthquakes and that may never change. That's why everyone in Illinois and Missouri needs to prepare for a major earthquake just like it will happen tomorrow. Unlike a tornado where you have at least a few minutes warning normally, an earthquake can change your life with no warning at all. Having an emergency plan for you and your family is vital so you'll know what to do when/if a major earthquake event along the Wabash Valley seismic zone or the New Madrid Fault ever happens. Yes, it might not happen for 30 years, but it could happen tomorrow - or today.