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Midwest Earthquake Hazard Downplayed

Posted by kdawson on from the whole-lotta-shakin dept.

swellconvivialguy writes "Next year marks the bicentennial of the 1811-12 New Madrid earthquakes, with earthquake drills and disaster tourism events planned across the Midwest, including the Great Central US ShakeOut. But despite the fact that Earthquake Hazard Maps equate the New Madrid seismic zone with California, geologist Seth Stein says new science (especially GPS data) tells us that the hazard has been significantly overestimated, and that we should not spend billions on earthquake preparations in the Midwest."

2 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Earthquakes? In Minnesota? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    The strong would survive.

  2. Political Realities by GrantRobertson · · Score: 0, Troll

    The government will decide to do earthquake (building damage) mitigation only when they figure out a way to funnel the money to a small group of select contractors who have spent a lot of money getting them elected. So when Haliburton decides it has milked the Middle-East situation for all it can get and decides Mid-West earthquake mitigation is its next profit center, then we will see more mitigation than there is any need for. Suddenly the media will be up in arms about the pending disaster to the Mid-West, the Mississippi river will be predicted to stop flowing, and they will be spending billions shoring up buildings that are better off bulldozed.