There was a M4.2 in Missouri, SW of St Louis, but close enough that some would have felt it there. I might have felt it in central Missouri, except I am not there: I am working at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (on the Turkey project). By the way, after 9 or 10 months of working on it, and 5 major drafts, I finally submitted a paper on the North Anatolian fault system there, to Tectonophysics, which is considered not prestigious where I work, but I don't care.

This was the largest quake in Missouri (except one near the Arkansas border?) since I moved there 5 years ago, and like most of the other M2.5+ quakes, was not on the New Madrid belt. I have long thought that the hazard maps of USA were misleading for central USA. The blocks are not moving so why would the next M7+ quake be where they have already occurred. I think the area west and along the boundary of Mississippi embayment may be more hazardous (little science in my statement).

The NRC may want to think about design of mid continent nuclear power plants: quake was probably felt at Fulton.

Chris

• Missouri M4.2