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BE INFORMED    BE PREPARED
WHAT CAUSES EARTHQUAKES? Tearing apart a continent
Studies show that about one billion years ago, the
crust under the central United States was pulled apart
Many earthquakes have occurred and continue to
occur in the New Madrid and Wabash Valley Seismic
EARTHQUAKES IN INDIANA
EARTH Plate tectonics
(fig. 4). This rift did not completely separate the crust Zones, from northeastern Arkansas through southern The Hoosier state has trembled in the wake of seismic waves generated by powerful
into individual plates, but it did create zones of faulting Illinois and into southwestern Indiana (fig. 5).
The outer crust of the Earth is divided into huge The forces that move the plates create stresses within in the Mississippi River Valley region. earthquakes in the past and will no doubt shake again in the future. To better understand

QUAKES our earthquake risk, researchers evaluate previous earthquakes and their causes.
plates, much like a cracked eggshell (fig. 1). Driven the Earth’s crust, and can cause the crust to suddenly
by convection currents that permit heat to escape fracture. The area of contact between two fractured
from the Earth’s interior (fig. 2), the plates move at a crustal masses is called a fault. Earthquakes result
rate of about a ½ inch to 4 inches per year, displacing from sudden movements along faults, creating a
Indiana faults
New Madrid earthquakes 1811–1812
in INDIANA continental land masses and ocean floor alike. release of energy. Movement along a fault can be
horizontal, vertical, or both (fig. 3).
Indiana has dozens of faults, but unlike California’s
famous San Andreas Fault, nearly all of them are When the people living in and near the town of New caused trees to topple, and changed the course of the
buried or difficult to see at the surface. Researchers Madrid in what is now southeastern Missouri went Mississippi River. During the following two months,
have mapped some faults in Indiana using evidence to bed the night of December 15, 1811, they had no the region would be rocked by three more earthquakes
EURASIAN
Figure 1. Map of the Earth showing approximate margins (bold black lines) found in oil and gas wells and in outcrops, but they way of knowing that they would be jarred out of as powerful as the first and by more than a thousand
NORTH TURKISH
PLATE of the major plates. Arrows indicate the general direction of plate movement. also employed a method called seismic reflection their sleep by shock waves that could be felt as far smaller aftershocks. Seismic waves from these large-
AMERICAN PLATE
GORDA PLATE Most earthquakes are triggered when plates grind past each other later- profiling, which creates images of the rock layers away as Washington, D.C. The force produced by this magnitude events were felt in Indiana and reported
PLATE CARIBBEAN
PLATE ally, as they do in California, or vertically, as in Alaska or South America. below the Earth’s surface. Many of the mapped faults
PACIFIC PLATE severe earthquake—one of the most powerful ever as far away as New York.
PHILIPPINE Earthquakes felt in Indiana are the result of stresses transmitted inward
PLATE COCOS ARABIAN in Indiana are in the southwestern corner of the felt in the central United States—collapsed buildings,
PLATE
SOUTH
PLATE from the boundaries and, perhaps, the base of the North American plate.
INDIAN NAZCA AMERICAN state. These faults extend into Illinois and northern
PLATE PLATE PLATE
Kentucky and are collectively known as the Wabash
AFRICAN
PLATE Valley Fault System. These faults are likely candidates
Plate boundary for future movement, because the crust is weak in More recent earthquakes Magnitude
Wisconsin
Uncertain plate boundary ANTARCTIC PLATE this area. Michigan
Figure 3. If movement along a Since the historic New Madrid quakes, Indiana has 3.0 - 3.9
Iowa
4.0 - 4.9
fault is horizontal, the fault is Indiana earthquakes that occurred during the last 200 felt the effects of many other earthquakes (fig. 5). 5.0 - 5.9
called a strike-slip fault. years are the result of movement along faults that are The strongest of these was the 1895 Charleston, 6.0 - 6.9
more than 6 miles below the surface. Because these Missouri, earthquake, which damaged buildings in 7.0 - 7.9
San Andreas fault faults are so deep, combined with the nature of the Evansville and other parts of southwestern Indiana.
Pacific rock layers at that depth, it is difficult for seismologists According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the most
North American plate Illinois Indiana Ohio
plate to successfully map earthquake-generating faults using intense shaking experienced in Indiana occurred in
African plate If the rock mass above an remote-sensing techniques. Unfortunately, the best the Wabash River valley on September 27, 1909. This
inclined fault plane moves method available for mapping these faults is to wait earthquake knocked down chimneys, broke windows,
down, the fault is referred to patiently for the next large earthquake, then determine cracked plaster, and was felt in Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri
as a normal fault. The major- the precise location of the aftershocks using sensitive Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee. More
ity of known faults in Indiana portable seismometers. Much more research is needed recently, in 2008, Indiana felt the effects of a moderate Kentucky
are normal faults.
before scientists understand the full extent of faulting earthquake centered near Mt. Carmel, Illinois, just
beneath Indiana and the potential for movement along west of Vincennes.
Figure 4. Generalized representations of rift development in the Midwest. those faults.
Opposing forces pull the plate in different directions (top). Rifting ceases Arkansas
When a rock mass above an Tennessee
Figure 2. This diagram is a simplified representation of the movement of and the resulting fractures are buried by sediments that accumulated in a NC
three plates. The yellow arrows show the general direction of plate move- inclined fault moves up relative shallow inland sea covering much of what is now North America (center).
ment. The Pacific and North American plates are sliding past each other to the inclined fault plane, this Figure 5. Map of Indiana and surrounding states showing earthquake
At present, the North American Plate is pressing against the Pacific Plate,
along the San Andreas fault. The red arrows show the convection currents is called a reverse fault. epicenters that occurred from 1795 to 2008. The relative strength of the
causing compressional forces to bear down on the central United States,
Indiana Geological Survey that cause the African and North American plates to spread apart, allowing occasionally causing earthquakes as the squeezed rocks periodically break
earthquakes is indicated by the size of the circles. Only earthquakes that
magma to move into the gap and create new crust. were strong enough to be felt are shown on the map.
apart (bottom).
and Indiana Department of Homeland Security
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 IS THERE A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE IN INDIANA'S FUTURE?
EARTHQUAKE
Prehistoric Indiana earthquakes
Earthquakes in Indiana is presented by The point on the Earth’s surface directly above the powerful than the Northridge earthquake that struck
center of an earthquake is called the epicenter. During the Los Angeles area in January 1994. (The Northridge
Seismologists do not yet have a complete understanding of the complex processes that trigger
the last two centuries, earthquakes having epicenters earthquake killed 51 people, and seriously injured earthquakes and cannot predict when earthquakes will happen. At this point, no one can say with

WHAT TO DO
Indiana
that originate in Indiana have been relatively minor 9,000. It was the costliest earthquake in U.S. history.) any certainty when or if an earthquake strong enough to cause significant property damage, injury, or
events. However, this has not always been the case.
Geological Survey Researchers have found dozens of ancient sandblows
Geologists determine the ages of sandblows by using loss of life in Indiana will occur. However, considering the prehistoric evidence of strong earthquakes
radiocarbon and other geologic dating methods on
(figs. 6 and 7), which give evidence that at least materials found in soil layers below, above, or at the
having epicenters within Indiana, the recent history of damaging earthquakes in Indiana, and the
Indiana University
611 N. Walnut Grove Ave.
six major earthquakes with epicenters in Indiana same level as the tops of the sandblows. Archeological presence of compressional forces squeezing the rocks at great depths, it is reasonable to conclude
happened during the last 12,000 years. The largest
Bloomington, IN 47405-2208
of these appears to have had an epicenter at or near
artifacts, including arrowheads, were found at many that we do, indeed, face the possibility of experiencing a strong earthquake at some point in the future.
812-855-7636 sites and helped to date the earthquakes.
Vincennes; that event is estimated as having been more
[email protected]
Preparing for the next quake
igs.indiana.edu Lafayette
While we can’t prevent earthquakes, we can reduce their disastrous
effects by assessing the risks and preparing for them. Assessing risks
involves determining the probability of an earthquake occurring within
6,100 years ago
and a particular region, and may also involve studying how the local soils
(plus or minus Indianapolis 3,800 to 8,500
200 years) years ago respond to severe ground shaking. The composition, structure, thickness,

Indiana Department of
and moisture content of a soil, which can vary greatly from one location
to another even within a small area, determines how it will behave BEFORE DURING AFTER
during an earthquake. An accurate assessment of an area’s level of ••Develop a family emergency plan ••Drop, Cover, and Hold On! Drop ••Go to your predetermined outdoor
Homeland Security Columbus 3,950 years ago
(plus or minus risk requires carefully researching the local geology, the engineering and establish an outdoor meeting to the floor, get under a sturdy meeting location.
250 years)
IGC South, Room E208
properties of the soil, and the infrastructure. This information can location. table, and hold on until the shaking ••Check for injuries to others and
302 W. Washington St. then be used to determine where and how structures should be built,
••Inspect your home and identify stops. If space is limited, protect provide assistance as needed.
Indianapolis, IN 46024 which existing structures should be reinforced, and how to address
potential hazards. your head and neck.
Vincennes ••Check for and extinguish small
human needs.
800-669-7362 ••Use bolts or straps to secure heavy ••If indoors, stay there. fires. Clean up any spilled
Preparing for an earthquake includes building critical structures—
www.in.gov/dhs items that might topple over, such ••If in a public building, avoid flammable liquids.
schools, hospitals, dams, and bridges—so that they are able to survive
as bookcases, china cabinets, or stairways and elevators and do ••Inspect your home for signs of
the maximum level of shaking likely to occur. Being prepared also
Evansville water heaters. not run for exits. Get under a structural damage. Do not enter a
entails developing plans of action for schools, businesses, and homes, as
••Avoid placing heavy objects such as desk or table and avoid outside structurally compromised building.
well as plans to coordinate activities by emergency response agencies.
shelves and frames on walls where walls, especially glass doors and
12,000 years ago Educating people about how to prepare themselves can lessen the risks ••Check gas, electric, and water lines
(plus or minus
they could fall onto people. windows.
1,000 years) and impacts of an earthquake on their homes and personal safety. Figure 8. Seismographs, such as this one at for damage, and shut off utilities
sandblow ••If outside, get into an open area.
As long as compressional forces continue to squeeze the rocks beneath Indiana University, record the waves generated by ••Keep an emergency disaster kit that are damaged. Unplug any
Figure 7. Map of southern Indiana showing sites where ancient sandblows an earthquake. Portable seismographs can also on hand, including a first aid kit, Stay clear of buildings, power lines, damaged appliances.
the surface of the central United States, earthquakes will occur. But
streetlights, and anything that could
Web resources: were found (black dots) and approximate areas of liquefaction (in color) for because long periods of time pass between damaging earthquakes in be placed in an area to record aftershocks. By
analyzing these seismic records, scientists can
flashlight, hand-cranked or solar-
fall on you. ••Use the telephone only for
four major prehistoric earthquakes. this region, it is easy for us to become complacent and inadequately powered radio, batteries, drinking
••Indiana Geological Survey: igs.indiana.edu determine how far away the earthquake occurred emergencies.
Figure 6. When strong earthquakes release their energy, violent shak- prepared. water, nonperishable food, and ••If driving in a car, move out of
••Central United States Earthquake Consortium: www.cusec.org and how strong it was. ••Be prepared for aftershocks.
ing may cause layers of saturated sandy soil to behave like a fluid under tools to shut off utilities. traffic as quickly as possible and
Studying the stresses, strains, and movements of masses of rock miles Drop, Cover, and Hold On
••U.S. Geological Survey: earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter pressure. This process is called liquefaction. Sometimes liquefied sand
••Learn how to shut off all utilities in shut off the engine. Avoid bridges,
below the surface of the Earth presents problems of immense complexity each time shaking occurs.
••Indiana Department of Homeland Security: www.in.gov/dhs moves up through cracks in the overlying soil and flows out over the surface,
your home. overpasses, and anything that
creating a liquefaction feature (top diagram). The photo shows an ancient for scientists, but until those problems are solved, we cannot know
••For more detailed information about preparing for an earthquake, could fall onto your car.
sandblow that was exposed in a bank of the Wabash River near Vincennes. when, or even if, a major earthquake will occur. But, if one does
visit igs.indiana.edu/EarthquakeExperience
Over time, the sandblow was covered by flood deposits. happen, let us be prepared for it.
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