According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the island of Haiti was hit with a 7.0 magnitude earthquake at 3:53p.m.CST on Tuesday, January 12, 2010— the strongest earthquake to strike the island in more than 200 years. As the extent of devastation and casualties becomes clearer, an international disaster relief effort is underway to assist an estimated three million people in need of emergency aid. This catastrophic event should serve as a reminder to central U.S. residents that we also have our own earthquake hazard to address, and that individual and community preparedness is key in mitigating losses of life and property.
Knowing that at any moment a major earthquake can strike the central U.S., local, state and federal governments are taking steps to ensure a unified approach to response and recovery following a major seismic event in the region. Initiated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) Catastrophic Planning Initiative is a project to help increase national readiness for a catastrophic earthquake in the NMSZ. This initiative includes participation from local, state and federal governments, academia, business, industry and volunteer organizations. Read more about preparing for earthquakes in the central U.S.
