The Missouri Emergency Management Agency says recent disasters in Morocco and Turkey serve as reminders of the destructive power of earthquakes. It’s also an important reminder that one of the country’s most active earthquake zones is located right here in Missouri. In 1811-12, the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), centered in southeast Missouri, produced some of the most powerful earthquakes in U.S. history. Similar earthquakes today would lead to major damage and destruction. To prepare for any future earthquakes, registration is now open for the 2023 Great Central U. S. ShakeOut earthquake drill on Thursday, Oct. 19. Missouri is one of 14 participating central U.S. states that could be impacted by a NMSZ earthquake. At 10:19 a.m. on Oct. 19, hundreds of thousands of Missourians will practice the “Drop, Cover, Hold On” technique:
DROP to your hands and knees;
COVER your head and neck with your hands and arms under a table or desk if you can; and
HOLD ON until the shaking stops.