Growing up in southern California, earthquakes were just one of those things; kind of like tornadoes here in Missouri. They happen.
Tornadoes can be predicted a little ahead of time so people can get to a safe place. Earthquakes give no known warning.
My first remembered tremor was at home. I was sitting on the couch and heard what I thought was a sonic boom, except it came from the floor. The slight shaking came immediately after.
That sound, only the people thought thunder instead of sonic boom, was mentioned in many accounts of the New Madrid quakes. Yes, quakes. There were a series of them from December, 1811, to February, 1812.
Why am I reading about New Madrid? I write short book reviews for my local library newsletter and decided to raid the Missouri shelf for July. “On Shaky Ground” by Norma Hayes Bagnall sounded interesting.
The New Madrid quake is talked about in Missouri, although California is more prominent elsewhere. Two of the Missouri quakes are considered to be second only to the 1964 quake in Anchorage, AK, in strength. The San Francisco quake is further down the list.
One reason for the San Francisco quake being more remembered is that it happened in a populated area. In 1811 Missouri was sparsely settled. No one knows how many people were killed as most were swept away in the Mississippi River either when the river banks collapsed under them or they were swept off boats on the river.
Earthquakes are not uncommon anywhere in the country. Fracking and other underground activities have triggered quakes in areas not prone to them before. Natural ones happen along the East Coast and along the Mississippi river valley as well as in California. Most are too small to be noticed.
The big question no one can answer is when the next big one will happen. California has building codes to strengthen structures to resist damage. Other states do not.
Will New Madrid be repeated? Probably.
Will we be ready? No.
After all, earthquakes only happen in California.