(Brandon Richard, WSIL-TV. Please click on the link for the full story and video. Here is an excerpt below)
Researchers say thousands of people would likely be injured or killed in Southern Illinois, along with thousands of others across an eight-state region, if a major earthquake, like the one in Mexico City, struck along the New Madrid fault
A comprehensive 2009 report from the Mid-America Earthquake Center said a 7.7 magnitude earthquake, which scientists believe would probably be the strongest that could occur along the New Madrid, would damage or destroy 65,000 buildings, including more than 40,000 homes, in Southern Illinois.
“The potential of a major earthquake is the disaster I feel would be the most catastrophic,” said Ryan Buckingham, director of the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency. “If you have a catastrophic earthquake it’s definitely going to be a regional disaster.”
“In a situation like a hurricane or earthquake, recovery is not going to be a matter of months , it’s going to be years,” said Buckingham.
WSIL-TV
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