Where is the new madrid fault located. The new madrid fault is located beneath the mississippi river valley in the midwest united states. Louis missouri and 250 km to the south near the mouth of the arkansas river. The seismic zone of the new madrid fault includes missouri.
The new madrid fault extends approximately 120 miles southward from the area of charleston missouri and cairo illinois through mew madrid and caruthersville following interstate 55 to blytheville then to marked tree arkansas. The new madrid region is located in the middle of the vast north american tectonic plate. The new madrid fault system was responsible for the 181112 new madrid earthquakes and has the potential to produce large earthquakes in the future.
The new madrid seismic zone m ae d r d sometimes called the new madrid fault line is a major seismic zone and a prolific source of intraplate earthquakes earthquakes within a tectonic plate in the southern and midwestern united states stretching to the southwest from new madrid missouri. Lying in the central area of the north american plate the seismic zone is about 45 miles 70 km wide and about 125 miles 200 km long. While not as well known for earthquakes as california or alaska the new madrid seismic zone nmsz located in southeastern missouri northeastern arkansas western tennessee western kentucky and southern illinois is the most active seismic area in the united states east of the rocky mountains.
Since 1812 frequent smaller. The area includes major cities such as memphis tennessee st. New madrid fault and earthquake prone region considered at high risk today the 181112 new madrid earthquakes m ae d r d were a series of intense intraplate earthquakes beginning with an initial earthquake of moment magnitude 7282 on december 16 1811 followed by a moment magnitude 74 aftershock on the same day.
It crosses 5 state lines and cuts across the mississippi river in 3 places and the ohio river in 2 places. It is part of the north american tectonic plate and the major fault among four located in this region. In the new madrid region sand blows can still be seen on the surface today.
It is yet to be confirmed if these faults intersect or are unique to each other.