Assessing Earthquake Risk in the Western Ohio Seismic Zone
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Date
2010-06
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Abstract
Outside of several isolated areas, such as the New Madrid, Missouri area or Charleston, S.C., the mid-continent of the United States is not typically recognized for earthquakes. Western Ohio, and more specifically Anna, OH, has historically experienced seismic activity. Future earthquakes here will be especially dangerous, because the general public is not prepared for a high magnitude event to occur there. There is research being done, notably by the OhioSeis Network, which is a division of the Geological Survey of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, to study the causes of these earthquakes and to create awareness and spread knowledge about them. There are also various geologic and seismologic organizations that are working to predict the maximum earthquake that is possible to occur in a given area. If a high magnitude earthquake were to strike in western Ohio today, transportation, buildings, and pipelines would all be in jeopardy. If the earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy was able to create so much damage there, then one of a similar size here, which is possible, could surely be just as devastating in Ohio. The most important and easiest way to prepare for future seismic activity is to spread awareness regarding their effects and the dangers they could present.
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Keywords
Ohio earthquakes, Western Ohio Seismic Zone, OhioSeis Network