Earthquakes, should America's east cost be worried?

[flobadob]

There have been 3 sizeable earthquakes in the Pacific in as many days. With all of this activity is there a real possibility that the east coast of America could be hit next?

[nikki3]

You guys are a little ignorant about East Coast earthquakes. In the last 5 years (2005 -2010) the D.C. Metro area has been hit by 3 earthquakes. First Richmond, VA which was felt as far north as Prince William County. Second in Annadale, VA felt in parts of Maryland. I was on Fort Myer when this one happened and we all thought soldiers were doing a demolition drill until they sent out an announcement. Third was 2010 in Gatherisburg, MD and felt as far east as Charleston, WV and south to Leesburg, VA. There is a major fault line off the east coast of America that has been inactive for some time now and a major earthquake has been rumored for over a decade. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. The eastern seaboard is not exempt from earthquakes- wake up people that is ignorant.

[dotty.]

^ I knew that

[237SJ]

Most places are not exempt from earthquakes. There was one in the Bristol Channel several years ago. I`ve been in 7 earthquakes. Some in obvious places like Narita (Tokyo) and some less obvious (Nigeria, Sinai Peninsula). There is a big difference between devastating, tsunami forming earthquakes and smaller ones such as you mention on the East coast of the States.

[dotty.]

oh and BTW welcome nikki

[nikki3]

Hello, not calling all of you ignorant just the comment that said earthquakes don't happen on the Eastern Seaboard. There were people in Maryland that were shocked an earthquake happened when lately they've been happening a lot lately. We're experiencing more tornadoes than usual in this area too. In my 26 years of living here we've never had county wide tornado/earthquake drills (except in the public schools) and this year they've started.

[flobadob]

2012.

[DTCwordfan]

nikki - I dont think anybody has said that there aren't earthquakes going on on the East Coat - just not >M6s.......so your implication that we are ignorant is somewhat of an ignorant comment to make. Earthquakes happen in most parts of the world and, if I remember right, there are some 1.3 mln ayear >M2, obviously, we only feel a very small percentage.

Some interesting stats here and look how the numbers are up for 2010 and 11 (esp as we havent even finished Q1......)

http://earthquake.usg...ives/year/eqstats.php