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Major earthquake looming to strike Southern and Midwestern U.S.
By Sue Mueller
Nov 21, 2008 - 4:12:48 PM

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The US government warned Thursday that a large earthquake may soon strike the southern and Midwestern United States affecting 44 million people in states including Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Tennessee may be the epicenter of an estimated 7.7 magnitude earthquake where hundreds of bridges will collapse and tens of thousands of buildings will be severely damaged leaving half a million of households without water. In addition, the earthquake will disable transportation systems and fire departments.

The states of concern are situated in what geologists call the New Madrid Sersmic Zone. The previous earthquakes were reported in 1811 and 1812.

"People who live in these areas and the people who build in these areas certainly need to take into better account that at some time there is ... expected to be a catastrophic earthquake in that area, and they'd better be prepared for it," FEMA spokesperson Mary Margaret Walker was quoted by Reuters.com as saying.