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Friday, October 27, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Kansas quakes rare but not unknown
By Travis Butier
Kansan staff writer
Kansans need not worry about a repeat here of anything resembling the recent San Francisco earthquake at least not for the next 500 years or so.
Don Steeple, deputy director of the Kansas Geological Survey, said that although there had been several minor earthquakes in Kansas in the past few years, ranging from 1 to 4 on the Richter scale, an earthquake of 5 on the Richter scale, causing significant damage, will only occur an average of once every 100 years in Kansas.
A serious earthquake, about 6 on the Richer scale and causing major damage, will happen only once every 1,000 years. slive or take 500 years.
The San Francisco earthquake registered at 6.9 on the Richter scale.
Each increment of one signifies about 31 times more energy released by the quake, Steeple said. Therefore, a quake of magnitude 5 would release about 31 times more energy than a quake of magnitude 6. The magnitude of a quake like the one in 1867 and registered about 5.25 on the Richter scale.
Earthquake activity in Kansas is mostly confined to two zones, he said. One zone, called the Nemaha Ridge, runs from Oklahoma City through Wichita to Manhattan and northeast to an area just south of Omaha. Neb.
Another zone runs northwest from Wichita, through Great Bend, Russell and Hays, and into the Black Hills of the Dakotas.
East of Manhattan, there is little chance of even minor earthquakes, Steeples said.
"There doesn't appear to be anything in the way of concern between
here and the New Madrid," he said. The New Madrid is a major fault that runs through the southeast corner of Missouri.
The Wichita-Russell-Hays zone has produced most of the recent Kansas earthquakes. Steeples said.
"The last couple or three years,
the two most active on that
report on the New York Times."
The Wichita-Russell Hays zone was the location of two relatively large and several smaller earthquakes this summer, Steeples said. A quake on June 8 registered 4 on the Richter scale, and a June 18 quake registered about 3.8. Both were near the town of Palco, in northwest Kansas.
Smaller earthquake continued to occur in the area for several weeks after the June earthquakes, Steeples said.
Don Desbin, Palco resident, said that the snakes had tanned off in the
"I a hard to describe," he said. "It's kind of hard on the nerves. They're so sudden. With a tornado, you have some warning that they're coming."
past few weeks.
"The ones we had lasted only two to three seconds. It was like a violent shuddering. But just when they hapened, you'd wonder if they would go on."
"It's something you have to experience to understand," he said.
Desbin said that his house was about a half mile from the center of the quake. There was some minor damage, such as cracks in the plaster about a half inch wide and running for five to six feet.
The Geological Survey has compiled a list of 25 reported earthquakes in Kansas between 1867 and 1977. The list includes the following: 1900, both in the Manhattan area.
Kansas earthquakes. 1977-1987
Earthquake in the 1 to 4 range on the Fichter scale. --- County boundary
Relative size indicates relative strength. --- Fault line
SOURCE: Kansas Geological Survey
The 1867 quake registered about 5.25 on the Richter scale, Steeples said. The 1906 quake registered about 5. The Richter scale was not in use at the time of either quake, so both measurements are approximate.
The 1867 quake was felt as far north as Dubuque, Iowa, the report said. In
Lawrence, bottles were shaken off of a drugstiff's shelves.
Although there was some shaking, the 1906 quake did not cause alarm in Lawrence, the report said. Walls were cracked in Manhattan, and brick chimneys were dislodged from the school.
Plan keeps Lawrence prepared for catastrophe
Paula Phillips, assistant coordinator, Douglas County Emergency Preparedness Office.
By Steve Buckner Kenan staff writer
Kansan staff write
If the unthinkable happens,
Lawrence is ready.
The Douglas County Emergency Preparedness Office has a coordinated plan of action in the event that a natural or manmade disaster.
"Most people don't realize the extent of the plans," said Paula Phillips, assistant coordinator of the office. "But there is a plan and people are ready to work in an emergency."
Chris Mulvenon, Lawrence Police spokesman, said the plans gave an overview of what the city and county police have been doing to multiple-death scenario, which covers tornadoes, floods, earthquakes,
nuclear attack, hazardous material
leaks or a plane crash.
"The current thought in place has not been to plan for a specific disaster, but rather for a general function," he said.
Mulvenon said the Lawrence Police Department's role would vary depending on the extent of the disaster. He said the department might join forces with area police departments to help move people and equipment and ensure security against looters.
"We'd use all local forces first and go up the ladder," Mulvenon said.
He said mobilization of the National Guard would be something the state could do for a community.
The plan is continually updated as mandated by law.
"The state keeps the committee on a time line to keep the documents updated," Mulvenon said. "Exercises have to be conducted yearly, from a table-top discussion to a full-blow exercise."
The office for Emergency Preparedness is located in the basement of the Douglas County Judicial Law Enforcement Building. Phillips said the rooms of the office would become the Emergency Operations Center in the event of a disaster. The center would become the communications center of the disaster relief efforts, she said.
Although disasters seldom occur, Phillips said, the office remains busy as a weather monitoring location and
by continually updating information needed to coordinate efforts during an emergency.
The staff draws on many resources to stay on top of possible disasters. For example, Phillips has a map from the United States Geological Survey that shows the effects that an earthquake along the New Madrid fault measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale would have. The fault runs along the Mississippi river and roughly stretches from where the Ohio and Mississippi rivers meet to Memphis, Tenn.
Tremors from such a large earthquake would reach Lawrence, according to the survey, making it hard to stand, shaking trees, causing waves on ponds and breaking windows.
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