Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways Area Just Had a Quake

The New Madrid Fault keeps proving it's full of surprises after the USGS confirmed a Monday quake in the region of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways which is not typical.

Every time I share information about a New Madrid Fault earthquake, there's always someone who reminds me that tremors in the Missouri bootheel are common and that's accurate. However, this Monday morning quake wasn't in the bootheel part of Missouri, but further to the north in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways area of the state just north of Lake Wappapello.

Infographic, USGS

This quake is nothing to be alarmed about since it was only a 2.1 magnitude tremor that no one reported feeling to the USGS. The epicenter of this admittedly minor New Madrid Fault quake was around 25 to 30 miles north of Poplar Bluff which is further north than the typical small Missouri quakes we see all the time.

Most emergency preparedness plans for earthquakes in Missouri are based on a major event centered closer to New Madrid and other bootheel towns. This small Monday quake was a reminder that all of southern Missouri needs to be ready in the event of a major New Madrid Seismic Zone shake which could be centered in the south-central part of the state or even St. Louis. We simply don't know when or where an earthquake could change life forever in Missouri. If you're prepared for any possibilities, you don't need to be afraid or worry about it. That's the purpose of sharing minor quakes like the one near the Ozark National Scenic Riverways region Monday.