Tuesday, November 30

New seismic fault discovered in Idaho, close to Payette County

Reuters reports that "Idaho scientists find new seismic fault in Rockies".

"Scientists at Idaho State University have mapped a previously unknown and active seismic fault in the northern Rockies capable of unleashing an earthquake with a magnitude as high as 7.5."


"Glenn Thackray, chairman of the university's geosciences department, said the 40-mile-long fracture in the Earth's crust at the base of the Sawtooth Mountains near the tiny mountain town of Stanley is cause for some concern.

'There's a chance in the next few decades there will be an earthquake on this fault, and if it does happen it will be a rather large earthquake,' he said.

A 7.5 tremor is considered a major earthquake, capable of widespread heavy damage.

Such a temblor would be most keenly felt at an epicenter near Stanley, home to about 100 year-round residents, with moderate shaking expected to extend from the resort community of Sun Valley to the capital city of Boise, Thackray said."

Something that should be considered in the siting of a new nuclear power plan I suppose...

No comments:

Post a Comment