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2008 Illinois earthquake

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ancjr (talk | contribs) at 07:27, 19 April 2008 (corrected 5.4 magnitude to 5.2 magnitude in a number of places). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Midwest earthquake
File:April18thEarthquakeEpicenter.gif
UTC time??
Magnitude5.2ML
Depth11.6 kilometres (7 mi)
Epicenter38°27′N 87°53′W / 38.45°N 87.89°W / 38.45; -87.89
Areas affectedUnited States
Casualties0 reported; 0 fatalities
Louisville damage from the earthquake

The April 18, 2008 Midwest earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes recorded in the state of Illinois, measuring a magnitude of 5.2.[1] It occurred at 4:37am CDT (9:37 UTC) within the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone at a depth of 11.6 km. It was centered near West Salem, Illinois and Bellmont, Illinois, specifically 38.450°N, 87.890°W, [2] and felt as far as 450 miles (724 km) away.[3] Tremors were felt as far west as Nebraska[4] and Kansas City[5], as far south as Atlanta[6], as far east as Kitchener, Ontario[7]and West Virginia[8], and as far north as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan[9].

The earthquake epicenter was located in the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone, which is adjacent to the more famous New Madrid Seismic Zone.[10]

An aftershock occurred at 10:14am CDT (15:14 UTC),[10]; it was magnitude 4.6, and also centered near West Salem, just north of the original quake.[11][12]

Damage

  • In Mount Carmel, Illinois, a woman was trapped in her home by a collapsed porch but was quickly freed and was not hurt. Also, an old school that was converted into a two-story apartment building was evacuated because of loose and falling bricks and because the roof had started to collapse into a couple of the apartments on the top floor.[13] It was later reported by a Louisville TV station that this apartment building has been ruled structurally unsound, and will have to be demolished.
  • In St. Louis, Missouri, the outer lanes on the Kingshighway viaduct were closed between Shaw and Vandeventer for a short-time after the 4:37am earthquake because pieces of concrete were seen around it.[14]
  • In Louisville, Kentucky, a facade broke off from an older building just south of downtown.[15]
  • In Harrison County, Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, a riverboat casino lost power.[15]
  • Illinois and Kentucky state highway crews were investigating if any roads or bridges were damaged in the area nearest the quake, but so far only crack had been reported in Illinois, on U.S. Route 51 near Cairo, Illinois, at the state's southern tip, said Mike Claffey, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Transportation.[16] No roads have yet been reported to be damaged in Kentucky, but inspections are being conducted in the Louisville, Paducah, and Henderson districts, according to the Kentucky Department of Transportation.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Illinois History". USGS.
  2. ^ "Magnitude 5.2 - ILLINOIS - Details". USGS.
  3. ^ "5.2 earthquake rattles skyscrapers, nerves across Midwest". AP. April 18 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Jim Suhr, Associated Press (April 18 2008). "5.2 earthquake rattles skyscrapers, nerves across Midwest". San Francisco Chronicle. It was the kind of tremor that might be ignored in earthquake-savvy California, but the temblor shook things up from Nebraska to Atlanta and rattled nerves in Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Louisville, Ky., where bricks toppled to the pavement... Dozens of aftershocks followed, including one with a magnitude of 4.6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Earthquake rocks Midwest, including KC area". The Kansas City Star. April 18 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Geological survey now registers quake at 5.4". The Southern Illinoisan. April 18 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Illinois earthquake rattles southern Ontario". National Post. April 18 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Nope, you weren't dreaming". Chicago Tribune. April 19 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Felt Reports". USGS. April 18 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ a b "Early Today". KSDK. April 18 2008. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help) Television reports
  11. ^ "Magnitude 4.6 - ILLINOIS". USGS. April 18 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Map Centered at 38°N, 88°W". USGS. April 18 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "5.2 earthquake rocks the Midwest". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  14. ^ "Lanes on KingsHighway Viaduct Reopen". KSDK Newschannel 5 St. Louis. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  15. ^ a b WAVE (TV) 3 News, Louisville, Kentucky, April 18, 2008
  16. ^ "Strong Aftershock Felt In Midwest". AHN - All Headline News. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  17. ^ "Bridge Inspections Underway in Kentucky". WXIX-TV Fox19 News. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
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