Simulation: New Madrid Quake Would Kill 100,000 Instantly; Displace 7 Million

Lumi

LOKI
Forum Member
Aug 30, 2002
21,104
58
0
58
In the shadows
Simulation: New Madrid Quake Would Kill 100,000 Instantly; Displace 7 Million

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=490><TBODY><TR><TD width=200><!-- Author Condition -->Mac Slavo
<!-- Date -->August 29th, 2011
<!-- Web Site condition -->SHTFplan.com


If you live in and around Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi you might want to consider the following ? then again, if you?re reading this web site you probably already have:
In May, the federal government simulated an earthquake so massive, it killed 100,000 Midwesterners instantly, and forced more than 7 million people out of their homes. At the time, National Level Exercise 11 went largely unnoticed; the scenario seemed too far-fetched ? states like Illinois and Missouri are in the middle of a tectonic plate, not at the edge of one.

A major quake happens there once every several generations.
?

National Level Exercise 11, or NLE 11, was, in essence, a replay of a disaster that happened 200 years earlier. On Dec. 16, 1811, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit the New Madrid fault line, which lies on the border region of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. It?s by far the largest earthquake ever to strike the United States east of the Rockies. Up to 129,000 square kilometers [50,000 square miles] were hit with ?raised or sunken lands, fissures, sinks, sand blows, and large landslides,? according to the U.S. Geological Service. ?Huge waves on the Mississippi River overwhelmed many boats and washed others high onto the shore. High banks caved and collapsed into the river; sand bars and points of islands gave way; whole islands disappeared.?

People as far away as New York City were awakened by the shaking.

More quakes, of a similar size, followed. But the loss of life was minimal: Not too many people lived in the area at the time. Today, there are more than 15 million people living in the quake zone.

If a similar quake hit, ?7.2 million people could be displaced, with 2 million seeking temporary shelter? in the first three days, FEMA Associate Adminsitrator William Carwile told a Congressional
panel in 2010.

?Direct economic losses for the eight states could total nearly $300 billion, while indirect losses at least twice that amount.?

Source: Wired Danger Room

Though there is debate over whether or not a New Madrid earthquake is due, the prudent thing to do would be for every individual and family to prepare.

The Federal government will be capable of a very limited response, especially in a region-wide disaster on the scale of a 7.7 quake. This means that if it, or even a lower magnitude quake were to take place, individuals would be on their own, and it would be a long time before help arrived:
?Electric power would go out, not for days, but for weeks and months in the four state region,? he said. ?Municipal water systems, they all run on electricity, don?t they? Well, people are gonna get thirsty.

You need water for firefighting, don?t you?

Second, all gasoline pumps run on electric power.

Same with diesel fuel.

So in terms of road mobility, of getting the relief forces in, and evacuating people out ? no gasoline?

The cascading failures go on and on.?
In such an event, there would likely be significant strain on the rest of the nation as well. It has also been postulated that a large enough quake in the region could potentially cause flooding for hundreds of miles, literally expanding the width of the Mississippi River and potentially submerging areas of Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

In addition to the well known natural potential for a major earthquake in this area, oil drilling utilizing hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has been active on a mass scale, theoretically increasing the likelihood of a major earthquake:
Canadian Geologist Jack Century crusades against induced seismicity from irresponsible drilling.

In a 2009 speech before the Peace River Environmental Society, he provided a brief explanation of how fracking induces earthquakes, completely refuting industry denial that fracking causes quakes. Fracking induces not only micro- and mini-seismic actions that can compromise the integrity of well casings, but also large earthquakes registering on the order of 5 to 7 on the Richter Scale, resulting in human deaths.
Source:

Activist Post
While quakes may be a normal occurrence in Arkansas and the surrounding region, recent earthquake data is alarming and may be the reason why the government has been performing simulations and drills:
When comparing Arkansas? earthquake history with its drilling history, a causative correlation becomes obvious.

The entire 19th century saw 15 recorded earthquakes and none in the first decade of the new century.

A total of 694 quakes rocked Arkansas in the 20th century.

That number was surpassed in 2009-2010, with the bulk (483) occurring the last three months of 2010.

Source: Activist Post
It?s clear that the potential for a major event in this area is more likely now than at any time in the last 100 years.
FEMA and local emergency management personnel should be focusing their preparedness efforts directly on the individuals in these regions, advising those who live within the seismic zones that in an emergency, no one will be coming to assist, or response will be limited.

Currently, the overwhelming focus of their efforts is direct response from government personnel.

Rather than ?See Something, Say Something? DHS ads at local grocery stores and retail outlets, perhaps a better strategy would be to promote individual preparedness concepts such as asking people if they have a 30 day preparedness plan, and then going on to describe essential strategies in the event of a an earthquake emergency that include information such as:
  • Water and Food
  • Medical Supplies
  • Disaster Tools
  • Emergency Evacuations Plans
  • What to do when an earthquake strikes if you?re outside, in your home, or in your car
  • And, dealing with critical rescue response if a friend or family member has been trapped under debris
We urge those of our readers in these areas to learn more about personal earthquake response, as well as to coordinate efforts with friends and family outside of the seismic regions in the event you have to evacuate. This includes preparing yourself and family for making the evacuation journey on foot, bikes, or four wheel vehicles, as well as multiple pick-up locations where your contacts can meet you along your evacuation route and when (i.e. ? within 3 days of quake we should be here, etc.).

Reference Sources: Activist Post, Ready Nutrition Earthquake Preparedness Guide

<SCRIPT type=text/javascript>AKPC_IDS += "11056,";</SCRIPT><!-- Article Information BOTTOM -->Author: <!-- Author Condition -->Mac Slavo<!-- END Author Condition -->
Date: August 29th, 2011
Website: <!--Website URL Condition -->www.SHTFplan.com<!--END Website URL Condition -->


</TD><TD width=390></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

BE PREPARED ! NOT SCARED !
 

Lumi

LOKI
Forum Member
Aug 30, 2002
21,104
58
0
58
In the shadows
12 Things That We Can Learn From Hurricane Irene About How To Prepare For Disasters A

12 Things That We Can Learn From Hurricane Irene About How To Prepare For Disasters A

12 Things That We Can Learn From Hurricane Irene About How To Prepare For Disasters And Emergencies


The Economic Collapse Blog
<!-- Date -->August 31st, 2011
<!-- Web Site condition -->http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com

This article has been contributed by The Economic Collapse Blog.
Whenever a major disaster or emergency strikes, millions of lives can be turned upside down in an instant. Fortunately Hurricane Irene was not as catastrophic as originally projected, but millions of people did lose power and at least 35 people lost their lives. Large numbers of homes were destroyed and the economic damage from Hurricane Irene is going to be in the billions of dollars. Now that Hurricane Irene has passed, this is a good opportunity for all of us to look back and learn some important lessons about how to prepare for disasters and emergencies. The reality is that a major disaster or emergency has happened somewhere in the United States almost every single month so far this year, and it is only a matter of time before you and your family will be faced with another disaster or emergency.
No plan is perfect, but if you have a plan you are going to be far better off than if you do not have a plan. September is ?National Preparedness Month?, so now is a great time to focus on preparing your family for the future disasters and emergencies that are inevitably coming.
The following are 12 things that we can learn from Hurricane Irene about how to prepare for disasters and emergencies?.
#1 Disasters And Emergencies Are Inherently Unpredictable
When a disaster or an emergency strikes, you never know what is going to happen. Even a storm such as Hurricane Irene that was tracked for weeks can end up being highly unpredictable.
For example, while a tremendous amount of attention was paid to New York City, the reality is that some of the worst damage ended up being caused in Vermont. Hurricane Irene actually caused the worst flooding that Vermont has seen since 1927.
The following is how the governor of Vermont described the devastation that was caused in his state by this storm?.
?It?s just devastating,? Gov. Peter Shumlin said Monday. ?Whole communities under water, businesses, homes, obviously roads and bridges, rail transportation infrastructure. We?ve lost farmers? crops,? he said. ?We?re tough folks up here but Irene ? really hit us hard.?
#2 During A Major Disaster Store Shelves Become Empty Very Rapidly
What do we see happen every single time there is even a minor disaster or emergency?
Every single time, food and other emergency supplies disappear from store shelves in a matter of hours.
If you do not have at least a couple weeks of food stored up you are being totally foolish.
In fact, considering how unstable the world has become, it is amazing that only a small percentage of the population has enough food stored up to be able to last for at least six months.
If an economic apocalypse happens, a major war breaks out, an EMP attack takes place, a huge comet strikes the planet or weapons of mass destruction are used in this country, you may not have access to mass quantities of very cheap food any longer.
Get prepared while you still can.
#3 Always Have A ?Go Bag? Ready
When disaster strikes, you may only have a couple of minutes before you have to race out the door.
Your ?go bag? should contain some food, some water, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, some cash, copies of your most important documents and any medicine that you may need.
#4 Know Your Escape Routes And Always Have Maps Of The Area In Your Vehicle
Have a plan and know where you are going to be heading in the event of an emergency.
If you don?t have a plan or if you don?t give yourself enough time, you could end up dead. A number of people died during Hurricane Irene while they were in their cars. The following is one example that was noted in a recent CNN article?.
A 64-year-old woman was found dead Sunday by Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania, police after her family grew concerned when she did not show up for work. Her body was found a half-mile from where her car was abandoned in a deluged creek, police said.
#5 During A Major Disaster Or Emergency There Is A Good Chance That You Will Lose Power For An Extended Period Of Time
During Hurricane Irene, more than 5 million people lost power. That is why it is crucial to have a battery-powered radio, a battery-powered (or solar) flashlight and extra batteries in your home.
Know what you are going to do once the power goes out. Anyone that has been through an extended power outage knows how life can change almost instantly once the power goes down.
#6 Have Enough Water Stored Up
What was one of the biggest problems in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?
It turned out that one of the most critical problems was a very serious shortage of bottled water.
Yes, even after Katrina dumped unprecedented amounts of water on New Orleans one of the biggest problems was still a lack of water.
If you do not have clean water to drink, you can die within just a few days.
So when planning for disasters and emergencies, please be sure to store up enough water.
#7 During A Natural Disaster, Major Transportation Routes May Be Shut Down
A lot of people were horrified to find roads closed or washed out during Hurricane Irene. Just because you are used to traveling on certain roads it is not safe to assume that they will always be available during disasters and emergencies.
#8 Have Respect For The Sheer Power Of Natural Disasters
We live at a time when people like to make a joke out of anything, but major natural disasters are not to be trifled with.
If you do not respect nature, you can end up dead. Amazingly, some people were actually out boating and canoeing during Hurricane Irene. According to one CNN article, one 53-year-old man that tried boating during Hurricane Irene was later found dead?.
One man in Croton, New York, died Sunday while boating along with four others down the Croton River, said Lt. Russell Haper, a spokesman for the Croton police. The boat overturned in the strong rapids. The 53-year-old man was found dead after a three-hour rescue effort. The other men were pulled safely from the water.
#9 Living Near Water Can Be Very Dangerous
If you live near the ocean or near a major river, you need to understand that the potential for danger is always there.
Even if you live a good bit in from the coast, the danger for substantial flooding is always there. The following is how one CNN article described the situation in Philadelphia at the height of Hurricane Irene?.
Outside Philadelphia, waters had already climbed to street-sign levels in Darby, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said, with the water sending ?couches, furniture, all kinds of stuff floating down the street.?
#10 During A Major Disaster Bring In All Objects From Outside
During any disaster that involves high winds, anything that is left outside can quickly become a very dangerous projectile. The last thing that you want is for the wind to pick up heavy objects and send them crashing into your home or the home of a neighbor. If you know that a major storm is coming, please bring in everything that you can from outside.
#11 Have A Plan But Be Flexible
Your best chance of making it through a disaster or emergency is to have a plan. But that doesn?t mean that you should always stick with that plan. Disasters and emergencies are inherently unpredictable, so it will be very important to be as flexible as possible.
#12 If You Wait Until Disaster Strikes To Prepare It Is Too Late
Right now is the time to prepare for the next disaster or emergency. If you wait until an emergency happens, you will be out of luck. You need to develop a disaster plan for yourself and your family if you do not have one already.
If you plan on storing up food, water, medicine and other emergency supplies, you need to do it ahead of time. Victory belongs to the prepared, and if you think that you will never wind up in the middle of a major disaster you are just being foolish.
Hurricane Irene was a terrible storm, but fortunately it was not nearly as bad as it could have been.
Hopefully this storm will serve as a wake up call for many of us.
The next time that a disaster strikes, we may not be let off the hook so easily.
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript>AKPC_IDS += "11082,";</SCRIPT>
<!-- Article Information BOTTOM -->Author: <!-- Author Condition -->The Economic Collapse Blog<!-- END Author Condition -->
Date: August 31st, 2011
Website: <!--Website URL Condition -->http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com<!--END Website URL Condition -->
 

Lumi

LOKI
Forum Member
Aug 30, 2002
21,104
58
0
58
In the shadows
The High Cost of Ignoring Disaster Preparation ? Episode 064

The High Cost of Ignoring Disaster Preparation ? Episode 064

The High Cost of Ignoring Disaster Preparation ? Episode 064


After a significantly diminished Hurricane Irene brushed up against our east coast, many people wanted to snicker about what they considered overblown hype in the face of the storm. Past hurricanes such as Camille, Ivan, Frederick, Rita, and Katrina made Irene pale in comparison.
And as our guest on Off the Grid Radio said today, when the hurricane finally reached her, it had downgraded to a tropical storm. And yet, by mid-week, there were still over 400,000 people in Virginia without power, over 563,000 in New York sitting in the dark, and the slow response to power outages in New Jersey has left thousands of residents disgruntled and even angry. In Maryland, where today?s guest on Off the Grid Radio is from, 820,000 people were without power in the aftermath of the storm.

<OBJECT id=4549 data="http://www.offthegridnews.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/audio-player.swf" width=290 height=24 type=application/x-shockwave-flash><audio controls="controls" src="http://www.offthegridnews.com/podcast/ep064.mp3" preload="none"> <sup>[1]</sup></audio>
</OBJECT>
Podcast: Play in new window <SUP>[1]</SUP> | Download <SUP>[1]</SUP> (Duration: 1:00:57 ? 41.9MB)
Transcription Coming Soon <SUP>[2]</SUP>

It doesn?t take a tsunami of Japanese proportions to leave you scrambling for food, water, and shelter. Join Bill Heid, Brian Brawdy, and Eileen Coale as they discuss not only disaster preparation, but the latest innovation in solar generator technology from Solutions From Science.
In this episode:
  • Gas or solar: the pros and cons of each generator system?
  • Deciding on your Tier One emergency needs?
  • Flooding is about more than water?
  • The aftermath can last longer than you think?
  • And more?
 
Bet on MyBookie
Top