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Alabama, and West Alabama at risk of an actual earthquake?

Yes, according to the folks at the United States Geological Survey.

In recent days, they've updated the "earthquake hazard" map for the USA.

USGS
Courtesy of the USGS
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Notice the green and especially the yellow area of the map over Alabama.

That puts us directly in an elevated hazard status when it comes to seismic activity.

The scientists at the USGS get very detailed on how these hazard maps are created.

Here's what the USGS officials claim goes into their newest hazard map: In developing the latest model, we tried to apply the best available or applicable science based on the advice of co-authors, more than 50 reviewers, and hundreds of hazard scientists and end-users, who attended public workshops and provided technical inputs. The hazard assessment incorporates new catalogs, declustering algorithms, gridded seismicity models, magnitude-scaling equations, fault-based structural and deformation models, multi-fault earthquake rupture forecast models, semi-empirical and simulation-based ground-motion models, site amplification models conditioned on shear-wave velocities of the upper 30 m of soil and deeper sedimentary basin structures. 

So, lots of very smart people reviewed this data before releasing anything to the public.

How many of you know that Alabama has a pretty significant history of earthquakes?

Here is a map of the history of earthquakes in Alabama since 1886.

earthquakes in alabama
Courtesy of the GSA/OGB
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According to the Geological Survey of Alabama, the map above should be looked at while keeping this in mind:

Four zones of frequent earthquake activity affecting Alabama (right) are the New Madrid Seismic Zone, the Southern Appalachian Seismic Zone, the South Carolina Seismic Zone, and the Bahamas Fracture Seismic Zone.

Most of the earthquakes we experience in Alabama are associated with the Southern Appalachian Seismic Zone (an extension of the East Tennessee Seismic Zone) that runs along the Appalachian Mountains from the northeastern corner into the central part of the state and the Bahamas Fracture Seismic Zone in southern Alabama.

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