Small tremor rattles faults around New Madrid region

January 31, 2012TROY, Ill. — Officials with the U.S. Geological Survey confirm a small earthquake rattled an area of Southern Illinois early this morning. A magnitude-2.2 tremor was recorded at the St. Louis University Earthquake Research Center at 5:10 a.m. No damage was reported. Researchers said the quake’s epicenter was about four miles east of Troy, Ill., or around 25 miles east of St. Louis. The quake originated from an estimated depth of 1.8 miles. The quake was believed to have related to a series of faults associated with the New Madrid Fault Zone. The last major earthquake recorded in Southern Illinois was a 5.2 tremor recorded on April 18, 2008 and was centered near Bellmont, Ill. A 2.7 tremor was noted on September 13, 2011 east of Cisne, Ill. –Courier Press
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15 Responses to Small tremor rattles faults around New Madrid region

  1. Amy says:

    Didn’t they just have a nuclear event at Byron plant yesterday, too? And FEMA is preparing for the New Madrid practice drill? Makes me wonder what they know and we don’t……….

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  2. Nikkoale says:

    This is the second there this month. One also occurred on January 17.

    http://folkworm.ceri.memphis.edu/recenteqs/Quakes/nm011701a.html

    There is some interesting stuff going on in the New Madrid zone. You can check a week of recordings from different stations throughout the Bootheel region and nearby states.

    http://folkworm.ceri.memphis.edu/heli/heli_sp_nmad/

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  3. steve says:

    Seatbelts Please! your going to need them in the mid-west.

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  4. J says:

    An earthquake of this size happens about every week or two in this area. In fact there were bigger ones in just the last two months. Why post every little earthquake that happens around the world as if it’s a sign of the impending apocalypse? It may or may not come, but the earth is alive and will continue to have multiple quakes every single day as long as it’s still around.

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    • Is that the equivalent of a tree falling in the forest and no one hearing it, is it really a sound?

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      • J says:

        It’s more like the equivalent of trees brushing in the wind every day. One little rattling of the leaves does not mean a killer tornado is upon us.

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    • Nikkoale says:

      Yes, there is a lot of activity around New Madrid and that area, but the ones that have happened around Troy up near St. Louis are not common nor is the one in northern Illinois. If you check the helicorders at the link I provided in an earlier comment, you’ll find there are a lot that show more of a “harmonic” sort of return on many of them. It’s worth noting.

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  5. Irene C says:

    I’ve noticed a lot of activity around the New Madrid area. It seems that all the activity along the Ring of Fire and the Carribean could be putting stress on the area. I’ve been watching it carefully. However, what is concerning me is, it appears to be rather quiet lately, too quiet. Or is it just my imagination?

    Maranatha

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  6. Kathy says:

    There was another earthquake, in Northern, Illinois. A 2.3 hit last night, around 10 pm CST.
    They said it was centered in McHenry, Il.

    Gods Blessings

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    • nickk0 says:

      That was rather odd.
      To my knowledge, I am not aware of a quake having an epicenter this close to the Chicago area before…. for as long as geologists have been monitoring the North American continent, anyway.

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  7. BRyan says:

    there was an earthquake in Mc Henry, IL today as well. Its just south of WI.

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  8. elijahsmom3 says:

    Kind of funny (not ha-ha) that the drills are planned for this area next week.

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  9. Justin C. says:

    Thank you for the post. The reason why it is important to keep an eye on this area is because the North American Craton is moving…It’s not doom and gloom but rather something they know is on the not too distant horizon! This is the reason for the emergency drills…they know it is only a matter of time. So J that would be the reason why it is a good idea to post articles about quakes in this specific area.

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    • J says:

      Yes, you’re right it is. I’ve been monitoring it from time to time myself on the internet for a couple of years now. However, a 2.2 earthquake is very inconsequential and common in a semi-active region like this. When we start having swarms of this size and large, then it becomes worrisome.

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  10. nickk0 says:

    Interesting : It seems that there were some minor afterquakes in VA. the same day :

    http://www.wric.com/story/16641451/aftershocks-continue-to-rattle-virginia

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