Local experts react to MO earthquake

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - It seems like they're frequenting more and more discussions these days: earthquakes .

After Tuesday's activity in Missouri many are wondering what it all means.

Experts say the 4.0 magnitude quake started in The New Madrid Fault Zone.

Part of that connects to the Wabash Valley Zone. That means that if it had been big enough the entire Wabash Valley may have felt it.

Some visitors on our Facebook page did claim to feel it early Tuesday morning.

Others were asking if we could soon see some more activity directly in the Valley.

News 10 spoke with an earthquake expert. Kevin Sutterer is a professor at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He said the earthquake doesn't give us any more risk for the future. However, he did say that there's always a possibility.

"The general consensus is the New Madrid Seizmic Zone, we could expect within the next 50 years, maybe a 7 to 10 percent chance of an event of magnitude 7 or larger," Sutterer said.

Most experts agree, even though the chances may not be very likely, it's important to be aware and to have the proper measures in place should a major earthquake happen.