A magnitude 3.0 earthquake hit southeastern Louisana, west of Lake Maurepas and east of Baton Rouge at 6:52PM CST on Monday, December 19, 2005.
COOL!
Completely bypassing Locusts and Alien Attacks, we have moved to Earthquakes on the disaster list. So what if it’s just a 3.0, bring on the Emergency Declaration and FEMA money stat!
[Just for your reference, this is nothing but a tremor. My 130-year-old house probably experiences a 2.5 every time the Magazine St. bus goes by.]
Some details from the USGS page on the quake:
- Epicenter: 10 km (6 miles) ESE (110°) from French Settlement, LA
- Depth: 5K
An extremely shallow quake which was probably subsidence-related. This Louisiana seismicity map gives me all of squat in terms of a deformation trend, but looking at this (most rudimentary) structure map of Lake Pontchartrain leads me to surmise that the earthquake belongs to the en echelon fault trend shown on the map.
The largest earthquake LA has experienced was a 4.2 back in 1930, which “damaged chimneys and broke windows at Napoleonville and cracked plaster at White Castle” near the epicenter. “Many people in the area rushed into the streets.” Louisianans have practice with running amok, it seems.
White Castle?
Earthquake isn’t on the disaster list. It’s Paris Hilton or some such.
What, did Paul Prudhomme fall out of bed?
Anonymous, you read my mind. I was this [] close to linking to the Harold and Kumar site but didn’t out of respect for the possibly-affected of that EQ (you never know). My friend, Steve, is a geologist, a former resident of NO and a White Castle connoisseur, and would love the reference. I’m sure he would be devastated if an EQ were to hit his beloved burger establishment.
Earthquake isn’t on the disaster list, true, but it should be. Actually, it should be Magnitude 11.0!!! along with Category 6: Day Of Destruction.
I love Laura’s comment.
Subsidence faults are one reason why the roads in Houston suck. I saw a fault map one time and the whole city is riddled with them. Now take the rest of the week(s) off and have a little gin.
Y’all don’t need no more stinking subsidence!
So, the potholes in NO are a result of many, many, many microfractures, right?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA … I’m so funny.
Blair, tell me about it. No, no, let’s just keep building on and sucking water out of unconsolidated sediment. *roll of eyes*
I thought this was one nation under God. Instead of putting Lousiana down, and making fun of its misfortunes, or even downfalls, why not try to build up the great state again. It is a beautiful place full of wonderful people. I believe earthquakes are the least of L.A. worries. Afterall, hurricane season starts again June 1. Yes, earthquakes and any natural disaster should be on the list, but not just for L.A., but for all states. Afterall, you never know when a Katrina or Rita might take your state by surprise.
In the Spirit of Christ
T. from Texas and much Love to L.A.(be strong and of good courage because the Lord will restore better than before).
T.,
Thanks for your kind thoughts and prayers, but I would like to point out that the majority of posts on this blog relate to the aftermath of Katrina, what with its author being a Katrina evacuee and in temporary exile herself. She just also happens to be a geologist who finds moderately humorous and somewhat ironic the occurrence of a 3.0 in the midst of all of this. The good lord gave us lungs so that we may laugh in the face of life.