2008 Illinois earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Illinois earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in the state
of Illinois
, measuring a magnitude
of 5.4. It occurred at 4:37:00am CDT
(9:37:00 UTC) on April 18 within the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone
at a depth of 11.6 km. It was centered near West Salem, Illinois
and Mount Carmel, Illinois
(the affected area is west of Terre Haute, Indiana
and Vincennes, Indiana
; east of St. Louis, Missouri
; and northwest of Evansville, Indiana
), specifically 38.450°N, 87.890°W, and felt as far as 450 miles (724 km) away. Tremors
were felt as far west as Nebraska
and Kansas City
, as far south as Atlanta, as far east as Kitchener, Ontario
and West Virginia
, and as far north as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
. The earthquake was felt so far away, compared to earthquakes in other regions, because the old, rigid bedrock beneath much of the Midwest allows the tremor to propagate further.
The earthquake epicenter
was located in the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone
, which is adjacent to the more famous New Madrid Seismic Zone
.
dormitories were evacuated as a precaution, but no damage was discovered and students were allowed to return after about 45 minutes. A coal mine in Gibson County, Indiana
, was also evacuated after the earthquake, but miners returned to work shortly afterwards.
The Gibson County, Indiana
, 9-1-1
system was briefly knocked offline due to a flood of calls resulting from the earthquake, but after about 15 minutes service was restored.
(15:14 UTC), on April 18; it was a magnitude 4.6, and also centered near West Salem, just north of the original quake. An aftershock with a magnitude of 4.0 (initially reported as 4.5) was felt three days later on April 21, at 12:38am CDT
(05:38 UTC), centered northwest of Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
A 3.7 aftershock struck on Friday, April 25 around 17:30 GMT (12:30 PM CDT
).
A 3.3 aftershock struck on Thursday, May 1 around 5:30 GMT (12:30 AM CDT
).
A 3.6 aftershock struck on Thursday, June 5 around 2:13 AM local time.
in Indianapolis, NBC 14 WFIE
in Evansville and WAVE 3 and WHAS 11
in Louisville
were doing local news broadcasts when the tremors hit.
Tremors of the magnitude 4.6 aftershock were also caught on camera during a taped interview with the Indiana Department of Transportation
in Vincennes
, Indiana
, as the interviewer asked about the magnitude 5.2 earthquake. It was later broadcast on the Wabash Valley's local news station WTWO
's Live at Five
broadcast.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, measuring a magnitude
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
of 5.4. It occurred at 4:37:00am CDT
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
(9:37:00 UTC) on April 18 within the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone
Wabash Valley Seismic Zone
The Wabash Valley Seismic Zone is a tectonic region located in the Midwest of the United States, centered on the valley of the Lower Wabash River, along the state line between southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana.-Geology:The Wabash Valley Seismic Zone consists largely of...
at a depth of 11.6 km. It was centered near West Salem, Illinois
West Salem, Illinois
West Salem is a village in Edwards County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,001 at the 2000 census.-Earthquake:West Salem is within the Wabash Valley seismic zone. On April 18, 2008 at 09:36:56 UTC a moderate earthquake of 5.2 magnitude was centered near the village...
and Mount Carmel, Illinois
Mount Carmel, Illinois
Mount Carmel is a city in and the county seat of Wabash County, Illinois, United States. At the time of the 2000 census, the population was 7,982, while the next largest town in Wabash County is Allendale, population 528. Located at the confluence of the Wabash, Patoka, and White Rivers, Mount...
(the affected area is west of Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
and Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
; east of St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
; and northwest of Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
), specifically 38.450°N, 87.890°W, and felt as far as 450 miles (724 km) away. Tremors
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
were felt as far west as Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and Kansas City
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
, as far south as Atlanta, as far east as Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, and as far north as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
. The earthquake was felt so far away, compared to earthquakes in other regions, because the old, rigid bedrock beneath much of the Midwest allows the tremor to propagate further.
The earthquake epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
was located in the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone
Wabash Valley Seismic Zone
The Wabash Valley Seismic Zone is a tectonic region located in the Midwest of the United States, centered on the valley of the Lower Wabash River, along the state line between southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana.-Geology:The Wabash Valley Seismic Zone consists largely of...
, which is adjacent to the more famous New Madrid Seismic Zone
New Madrid Seismic Zone
The New Madrid Seismic Zone , sometimes called the New Madrid Fault Line, is a major seismic zone and a prolific source of intraplate earthquakes in the southern and midwestern United States, stretching to the southwest from New Madrid, Missouri.The New Madrid fault system was responsible for the...
.
Damage
- In Mount Carmel, IllinoisMount Carmel, IllinoisMount Carmel is a city in and the county seat of Wabash County, Illinois, United States. At the time of the 2000 census, the population was 7,982, while the next largest town in Wabash County is Allendale, population 528. Located at the confluence of the Wabash, Patoka, and White Rivers, Mount...
, a woman was trapped in her home by a collapsed porch but was quickly freed and was not hurt. Also, an old school that was converted into a two-story apartment building was evacuated because of loose and falling bricks and because the roof had started to collapse into a couple of the apartments on the top floor. The building was later condemned. A man received serious eye injuries, but did not seek immediate medical attention.
- In St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, the outer lanes on the South Kingshighway Boulevard viaductViaductA viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
were closed between Shaw Boulevard and South Vandeventer Avenue/Southwest Avenue for approximately thirty minutes because pieces of concrete were seen around it, and on the surface streets/railroad tracks below it.
- In Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, a facadeFacadeA facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
broke off from an older building just south of downtown.
- In Harrison County, IndianaHarrison County, IndianaHarrison County is a county located in the far southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Ohio River. It is divided into twelve townships, and the county seat is Corydon, the former capital of Indiana. The county is part of the larger Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan...
, across the Ohio RiverOhio RiverThe Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
from Louisville, the riverboat casinoCasinoIn modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
Caesars IndianaCaesars IndianaHorseshoe Southern Indiana, is a riverboat casino operated by Caesars Entertainment Corporation. Opened in 1998, it is located outside the community of Elizabeth, Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. The complex is located at the Harrison County line...
lost power.
- In Princeton, IndianaPrinceton, IndianaThe median income for a household in the city was $26,689, and the median income for a family was $37,308. Males had a median income of $28,076 versus $19,825 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,049...
, a woman was cut when a crystal figurine was knocked from a shelf in her home.
- IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
state highway crews were investigating if any roads or bridges were damaged in the area nearest the quake, only cracks had been reported on U.S. Route 51U.S. Route 51U.S. Route 51 is a north–south United States highway that runs for 1,286 miles from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana to within of the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Much of the highway in Illinois and southern Wisconsin runs parallel to or overlaps Interstate 39...
near Cairo, IllinoisCairo, IllinoisCairo is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the county seat of Alexander County. Cairo is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The rivers converge at Fort Defiance State Park, an American Civil War fort that was commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant...
, at the state's southern tip, said Mike Claffey, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of TransportationIllinois Department of TransportationThe Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
. No roads were reported to be damaged in Kentucky, but inspections were being conducted in the Louisville, Paducah, and Henderson districts, according to the Kentucky Department of Transportation.
- Unit 4 at Gibson Generating StationGibson Generating StationThe Gibson Generating Station is a coal-burning power plant located at the northern end of northern Montgomery Township, Gibson County, Indiana, United States. It is close to the Wabash River, just opposite Mount Carmel, Illinois...
automatically shut down after the earthquake due to its vibration sensors.
Emergency response
Many precautionary measures were taken after the initial quake, including several evacuations. All Vincennes UniversityVincennes University
Vincennes University is a public university in Vincennes, Indiana, in the United States. Founded in 1801 as Jefferson Academy, VU is the oldest public institution of higher learning in Indiana. Since 1889, VU has been a two-year university, although baccalaureate degrees in seven select areas are...
dormitories were evacuated as a precaution, but no damage was discovered and students were allowed to return after about 45 minutes. A coal mine in Gibson County, Indiana
Gibson County, Indiana
Gibson County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana and is included in the Evansville, Indiana–Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 33,503. The county seat is Princeton.-Geography:...
, was also evacuated after the earthquake, but miners returned to work shortly afterwards.
The Gibson County, Indiana
Gibson County, Indiana
Gibson County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana and is included in the Evansville, Indiana–Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 33,503. The county seat is Princeton.-Geography:...
, 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
system was briefly knocked offline due to a flood of calls resulting from the earthquake, but after about 15 minutes service was restored.
Aftershocks
A week after the main earthquake, the USGS recorded a total of 26 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 1.0 to 4.6. The biggest aftershock occurred at 10:14am CDTCentral time
Central time can refer to:*North American Central Time Zone*Central European Time*Central Standard Time Australia...
(15:14 UTC), on April 18; it was a magnitude 4.6, and also centered near West Salem, just north of the original quake. An aftershock with a magnitude of 4.0 (initially reported as 4.5) was felt three days later on April 21, at 12:38am CDT
Central time
Central time can refer to:*North American Central Time Zone*Central European Time*Central Standard Time Australia...
(05:38 UTC), centered northwest of Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
A 3.7 aftershock struck on Friday, April 25 around 17:30 GMT (12:30 PM CDT
Central time
Central time can refer to:*North American Central Time Zone*Central European Time*Central Standard Time Australia...
).
A 3.3 aftershock struck on Thursday, May 1 around 5:30 GMT (12:30 AM CDT
Central time
Central time can refer to:*North American Central Time Zone*Central European Time*Central Standard Time Australia...
).
A 3.6 aftershock struck on Thursday, June 5 around 2:13 AM local time.
Earthquake on TV
Several television stations were live on-air when the quake hit. CBS 8 WISH-TVWISH-TV
WISH-TV, virtual channel 8, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Indiana licensed to Indianapolis. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, WISH-TV is part of a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WNDY-TV and the two share studios on North Meridian Street at the north end of Indianapolis'...
in Indianapolis, NBC 14 WFIE
WFIE
WFIE is the NBC-afifliated television station for the Tri-State area of Southwestern Indiana, Northwestern Kentucky and Southeastern Illinois that's licensed to Evansville, Indiana. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 46 from a transmitter in the Wolf Hills section of...
in Evansville and WAVE 3 and WHAS 11
WHAS-TV
WHAS-TV channel 11 is the ABC affiliated television station in Louisville, Kentucky. Owned by Belo Corporation, the station's transmitter is located in Floyd County, Indiana, near the community of Floyds Knobs...
in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
were doing local news broadcasts when the tremors hit.
Tremors of the magnitude 4.6 aftershock were also caught on camera during a taped interview with the Indiana Department of Transportation
Indiana Department of Transportation
The Indiana Department of Transportation is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of Indiana charged with maintaining and regulating transportation and transportation related infrastructure such as state owned airports, state highways and state owned canals or railroads.-Districts:INDOT is...
in Vincennes
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, as the interviewer asked about the magnitude 5.2 earthquake. It was later broadcast on the Wabash Valley's local news station WTWO
WTWO
WTWO, virtual channel 2 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Terre Haute, Indiana. The station is owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group of Irving, Texas, which operates local ABC affiliate WAWV , through a joint sales agreement with owner Mission Broadcasting...
's Live at Five
Live at Five
Live at Five is a name used by several television stations in some countries to refer to their 5:00pm newscasts or talk shows.* The name was coined by WNBC-TV in New York City in 1980 for a lifestyle and celebrity news show...
broadcast.
External links
- Last event for Illinois. USGS. Preliminary earthquake report for the latest aftershock