Earthquake in Illinois?!?!?

[Tuberski]

5.4 earthquake rocks Illinois; also felt in Indiana

1 hour ago

WEST SALEM, Ill. (AP) — A 5.4 earthquake early Friday rocked people awake as far away as Indiana, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a large Midwest temblor.

The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered 6 miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

The quake also shook tall buildings in downtown Indianapolis, about 160 miles northeast of the epicenter.

Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle in Evansville said there were no immediate reports of damage.

Strange.......

ACK!

[Q Classic]

http://quake.ualr.edu/public/nmfz.htm

[rah]

No big deal. It woke me up but I didn't realize that's what woke me up. We're about 300 miles away.

[-Jrabbit]

The New Madrid Fault runs through southern Illinois, plus parts of surrounding states. Statistically, it produces a major quake every 300 years or so.

February 7, 1812 (the New Madrid Earthquake), 0945 UTC (4:45 a.m.); 7.9 magnitude; epicenter near New Madrid, Missouri. New Madrid was destroyed. At St. Louis, Missouri, many houses were damaged severely, and their chimneys were thrown down. The meizoseismal area was characterized by general ground warping, ejections, fissuring, severe landslides, and caving of stream banks.

There were 3 more quakes of 7.0 or higher in the area in the 2 months leading up to the New Madrid event.

Supposedly there's a 90% chance of a 6.0 or greater quake by 2040, and a 7-10% chance of an 8.0 in the next 50 years. Memphis is the biggest city in the direct danger zone.

[Donegeal]

Woke me up in southern Wisconsin also.

I was sleeping and awoke from that sleep, but don't remember feeling anything. I looked at the clock... 440 AM. Went back to sleep and when I watched the news I figured it out.

[snoopy369]

Woke me up and shook my bed

[Jonny]

Here in St. Louis it woke me (and most people) up; things were mildly shaking for a good 10-15 seconds. It woke all the birds up too, and they wouldn't shut it, which made it difficult to go back to sleep.

[Jonny]

Mmmmm... aftershocks.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by rah
It woke me up.

Jesus... must have been catastrophic then. Is any of Chicago left?

[asleepathewheel]

It apparently woke my mother up in Missouri.

Too bad Iben Browning is dead, maybe the school kids could miss a few days of class like when I did.

[Will9]

I believe I'm on the closest Apolytonite to West Salem. I didn't wake up because I'd gotten up to pee a few minutes earlier. I'd already finished by the time the earthquake had hit so I didn't get a chance to pee during an earthquake. I was suprised by how long it lasted, almost 45 seconds (with the aftershock being about 15). I've felt stronger (only slightly stronger, but much closer) earthquakes last for about the same amount of time.

[Lancer]

600 earthquakes occured off the Oregon Coast just recently, like a new volcano is forming. Related? Y O U decide!

[Theben]

It shook Indianapolis too. I slept thru it, tho I had a dream about being in an earthquake.