Buzz
Residents near California’s San Andreas Fault are likely familiar with the high seismic danger in their region. However, even in areas where earthquakes rarely make headlines, there remains a certain degree of risk.
CNN recently unveiled an interactive U.S. map that clarifies these risk levels. Simply input your location, and the map will display its risk category: lowest, very low, low, moderate, high, very high, or highest.
Each category is color-coded, ranging from dark blue to red, providing a clear visual of high-risk and low-risk zones across the country. As expected, the West Coast is predominantly red, stretching from Southern California to Northern Washington.
The New Madrid Seismic Zone, spanning parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Arkansas, and Missouri, is another high-risk region. While much of the East Coast is marked by cooler shades of blue, a notable red zone surrounds Charleston, South Carolina. For those seeking minimal earthquake risk, consider relocating to North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, or for warmer climates, South Texas or South Florida.
Developers Byron Manley, Matt Stiles, and Renée Rigdon crafted the map using a 2018 U.S. Geological Survey dataset, which assessed earthquake risks by analyzing seismic activity, fault-slip rates, and the frequency of varying magnitude quakes.
Dive into the map to uncover your city or town’s earthquake risk level here.
