Hi All. The 5.0Mn quake near Evansville on 06/18/2002 occurred on the Wabash Valley fault. This area is known as the Wabash Valley Fault Zone as there are more then just one fault in this area. This quake could have occurred on a thrust fault, or one of the reverse faults that can be found in the area. At present time I’m waiting for the moment tensor solution (MTS) to indicate what type of quake it was. However there is always the chance that there weren’t enough stations nearby to provide a MTS.

The New Madrid Seismic Zone and the Wabash Valley Fault Zone are the prime area for major quakes. Researchers have discovered evidence of an earthquake registering more than 7.0 occurring 3,500 years ago in the Vincennes area. The seismic activity ejected sand and gravel onto the flood plain.

On November 9, 1968, an M 5.5 earthquake was centered near Broughton in Hamilton County, Illinois. Property damage in southern Illinois included fallen television aerials and chimney bricks, broken windows, and cracked or fallen plaster. Near the epicenter, chimneys fell, foundations cracked, tombstones overturned, and some parapets collapsed. Most of the damage was to older buildings. The quake was felt in 23 states, even as far away as Boston and southern Ontario, Canada.

Potentially damaging quakes occur every 10 to 20 years along fault lines in the Lower Wabash Valley region so this most recent quake shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone. Anyone want to bet on that? Take Care…Don in creepy town