Major Earthquake Drill Coming Thursday In Maryland

MARYLAND — Greater than 11 years after Marylanders have been rattled by an earthquake in Virginia that was felt by individuals up and down the East Coast, governments, colleges and residents in Maryland will take part within the Nice Southeast ShakeOut Earthquake Drill on Thursday.

Participation within the drill has grown since Maryland and far of the East Coast skilled an earthquake at 1:51 p.m. on Aug. 23, 2011. Based on the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was close to Mineral in Louisa County, Virginia.

With a magnitude of 5.8, the quake was the most important Virginia earthquake recorded by seismometers. Greater than 80 aftershocks have been reported by the USGS, and the realm is at present being monitored by geophysicists from a number of main science establishments.

The temblor was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Maryland and the strongest quake recorded east of the Rocky Mountains since 1944.

The USGS says the August 2011 earthquake was probably the most widely-felt earthquake in U.S. historical past. The quake prompted greater than $200 million in harm.

Faculties in 10 Maryland districts are registered to take part within the 2022 SouthEast ShakeOut in Virginia, with a complete of 69,061 contributors. Some colleges had registered to take part within the drill in districts, together with Baltimore Metropolis Public Faculties, Baltimore County Public Faculties, Carroll County Public Faculties, Cecil County Public Faculties, Frederick County Public Faculties, and Montgomery County Public Faculties.

Primarily based on accessible knowledge, the general earthquake threat to all Maryland jurisdictions, except Cecil County, is low to medium-low, the U.S. Geological Survey mentioned. Cecil County is ranked as medium primarily pushed by inhabitants vulnerability, density and geographic extent.

Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Charles, Calvert, Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Wicomico counties and Baltimore Metropolis are ranked medium-low based mostly totally on inhabitants density and inhabitants vulnerability.