This earthquake Dec. 17 was brief and hit overnight at 10:10
p.m. in Jefferson County between Waltonville and DuBois with no
major damage reported, according to Matt Bierman, director of
Washington County Emergency Management Agency.
“A lot of people thought it was a sonic boom or a truck driving
by but there was a little bit of a shake too, and it was felt
over a lot of southern Illinois,” Bierman said, adding that
“tremors happen quite frequently.”
The biggest concern is yet to come. Since the area is sandwiched
between two seismic zones, New Madrid and Wabash Valley, there
has long been anticipation of an epic event. For that Bierman is
asking residents to get ready.
“When it does happen, it will throw us into Third World country
for a while until we can get help and they need to be prepared
for that,” he told The Center Square, picturing the loss of
bridges and cell service.
Bierman stressed the need to have a prearranged place to meet
family, as well as emergency and medical supplies, flashlights
with extra batteries, non-perishable food, water and easy access
to important documents.
“You need to be able to sustain yourself for a minimum of 72
hours,” he said, also emphasizing the need to stay calm and obey
laws.
Family drills can reinforce what to do when a quake strikes,
such as seeking shelter under sturdy furniture until able to
flee outside. The shelter should be found away from power lines,
ideally an open field. He also suggested a battery-operated AM
radio to keep residents abreast of emergency response efforts.
While this major quake has been suggested for some time, Bierman
said folks should look at it as a definite.
“The experts say it is gonna happen. It’s not an if but rather a
when,” he said.
Bierman called to mind that the largest earthquake in U.S.
history occurred in Illinois over 200 years ago and the area is
sandwiched between two seismic zones.
To learn how to survive and stand ready, he directs residents to
the federal website ready.gov or state website at
ready.illinois.gov.
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