We're due for a huge earthquake in the NE?
 

A friend sent this to me today:

[first few paragraphs]

"A colossal earthquake that caused damage from South Carolina to Washington D.C. and temporarily reversed the course of the Mississippi River nearly two centuries ago could be repeated within the next 50 years, scientists said today.

The odds of another 8.0 event within 50 years are between 7 and 10 percent, geologists said today. The assessment, based on new data from a recently installed array of sensors, puts to rest a 1990s claim that strain was not increasing.

Such a strong earthquake would rock the entire eastern half of the country and prove devastating to the local region. A lesser but still damaging quake of magnitude 6 or greater has a 90 percent chance of striking in the next five decades."

Full article here

Interesting!
Don't forget when using the Richter scale to rate quakes that is is a logrithmic scale. A rating of 8 means 100 times more energy than in a 6.

California is going to get the big one and moce the beaches up to the nevada state line before we have the big one.

I got this from a link at the website Stefano provided. Provides interesting perspective.
Bot


The more specific figures are based on 2001, the most recent year for which complete data are available. Other odds, indicated with an asterisk (*) are based on long-term data.

All figures below are for U.S. residents.

Cause of Death
Lifetime Odds

Heart Disease
1-in-5

Cancer
1-in-7

Stroke
1-in-23

Accidental Injury
1-in-36

Motor Vehicle Accident*
1-in-100

Intentional Self-harm (suicide)
1-in-121

Falling Down
1-in-246

Assault by Firearm
1-in-325

Fire or Smoke
1-in-1,116

Natural Forces (heat, cold, storms, quakes, etc.)
1-in-3,357

Electrocution*
1-in-5,000

Drowning
1-in-8,942

Air Travel Accident*
1-in-20,000

Flood* (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-30,000

Legal Execution
1-in-58,618

Tornado* (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-60,000

Lightning Strike (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-83,930

Snake, Bee or other Venomous Bite or Sting*
1-in-100,000

Earthquake (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-131,890

Dog Attack
1-in-147,717

Asteroid Impact*
1-in-200,000**

Tsunami*
1-in-500,000

Fireworks Discharge
1-in-615,488

** Perhaps 1-in-500,000

SOURCES: National Center for Health Statistics, CDC; American Cancer Society; National Safety Council; International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; World Health Organization; USGS; Clark Chapman, SwRI; David Morrison, NASA; Michael Paine, Planetary Society Australian Volunteers