Active week on New Madrid seismic zone

NEW MADRID, Mo. (KFVS) - It has been an active week on the New Madrid fault line.

There have been ten small earthquakes in the Bootheel this week alone, with magnitudes ranging from 1.8 to 3.0.

At the New Madrid Historical Museum, a big portion of displays are dedicated to the history of earthquakes.

The museum’s administrator Jeff Grunwald said that while it may feel like a lot of earthquakes were reported this week, it is normal for the area.

“There was a 3.0 just a few days ago. Usually, that will be followed up by smaller earthquakes called aftershocks, and you will see that kind of string along in sort of kind of a chain reaction of these earthquakes,” Grunwald said.

He said that is the kind of information you will find when you visit the exhibit.

“Our mission statement is to share and preserve the history of southeast Missouri,” Grunwald said. “Because we’re in New Madrid, Missouri, that has sort of evolved into kind of an earthquake-focus.”

And times of high seismic activity, like we have seen in the Heartland this week, can have people eager to learn.

“If you see earthquakes somewhere in the world, a big one that people will hear about, we will tend to see more traffic come along after that,” he said.

While Grunwald said the numerous earthquakes reported this week aren’t out of the ordinary, they do serve as a reminder of the New Madrid fault line and the potential impact it could have on the region.

“It’s a good reminder because there really is always a risk that there could be a big earthquake, it is very small.”

And although the risk is small, Grunwald encourages everyone to be prepared.

“Try to have some survival prep kits for any type of natural disaster. And if you do feel an earthquake, remember to drop cover and hold on.”