Great American “Shake Out” Earthquake Preparedness Drill Takes Place Thursday Morning

Emergency management officials around the lake area and statewide are urging you to get ready for some shaking and rattling.

Jeff Briggs from the State Emergency Management Agency says the 2023 Great Central U.S. “Shakeout” serves as a good way to prepare for what’s expected to be a major earthquake centered in southeast Missouri.

“The New Madrid Seismic Zone, based down in the Boot Heel in southeast Missouri, is the largest active seismic zone in the US….East of the Rocky Mountains. And although it hasn’t had a big one lately, the geologists and the seismologists tell us that we are going to have a big one one of these days.”

Briggs also says the main difference between earthquakes and other natural disasters is a lack of warning.

“Floods, tornadoes, winter weather happens, we’re going to know about it in advance. Even with tornadoes, we get a few minutes warning to take shelter. Shaking is going to start and you’re just going to be doing whatever you normally do in that day.”

The Great “ShakeOut” begins at 10:19 Thursday morning.

Some 400-thousand are signed up across the state to participate in the drill. More info is avail on SEMA’s webpage.