5th annual Earthquake Summit held in Portageville

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. (KFVS) - The 5th annual Earthquake Summit was held in Portageville on Thursday, March 16.

Experts and hundreds from across the region attended the all-day event at Rone Exhibition Hall.

According to the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), attendees discussed and learned the latest about earthquakes in the Midwest. Topics included the latest geological findings, preparedness strategies, recovery planning, insurance challenges, transportation planning, school response and more.

Key speakers included Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, University of Missouri System President Dr. Mun Choi and FEMA Region 7 Administrator Andrea Spillars.

Both Missouri and Illinois Department of Transportation Emergency Coordinators also gave a presentation on inspecting bridge structures after an earthquake and how to plan ingress and egress routes for both states.

According to SEMA, the New Madrid Seismic Zone is the most active seismic zone in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, averaging more than 200 small earthquakes each year.

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