[Press Release] : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February is "Earthquake Awareness Month"

[Press Releases]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Zim Schwartze, Emergency Management Director
(573) 874-7400

February is "Earthquake Awareness Month"

COLUMBIA, MO (February 1, 2012) - With the national observance of "Earthquake Awareness Month", the Columbia/Boone County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) encourages residents to learn more about the dangers of potential earthquakes in Missouri. Mid-Missouri could be impacted by earthquakes, despite the lack of an active fault line in the immediate area.

"Residents should remember that the New Madrid Seismic Zone could impact the area in a couple of ways," says OEM Director Zim Schwartze.  "Should a magnitude quake of 7.0 or higher on the Richter scale hit the New Madrid Fault, it's not out of the realm of possibility that we'd see minor to moderate damage here and the disruptions of essential services.  After the event, we can expect a large-scale recovery effort to the areas hit especially hard.  That effort will include resources and personnel from our region."

Schwartze adds that the lack of an identified fault line does not always mean there's no danger of earthquakes.  "In the past year we've seen earthquakes occur in areas where they had never taken place before. That's why it's important to learn more about earthquakes, and what to do before, during and after a quake."

The Columbia/Boone County Office of Emergency Management has a number of publications available, including those that address earthquakes. Links to that information can be found online at www.gocolumbiamo.com/EM.


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