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East Coast quake moderate but significant

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    André Filiatrault discusses the importance of Tuesday’s East Coast earthquake for future seismic analysis.Watch video.

By John Della Contrada
Published: August 25, 2011

Tuesday’s earthquake that shook parts of the eastern U.S. and Canada might have drawn shrugs from Californians experienced with more profound seismic events. But the event, though moderate, is important for future seismic analysis, a UB earthquake researcher explained to media representatives in the aftermath of the 5.8 magnitude quake that struck south of Washington, D.C. and affected cities all along the eastern seaboard.

“The earthquake was moderate but significant because we haven’t had very many earthquakes of this magnitude in the eastern United States or eastern Canada,” said André Filiatrault, professor of civil, structural and environmental engineering and director of UB’s MCEER (Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research).

“This earthquake will be useful in providing data to help us make better seismic maps,” he said, adding that the quake’s impact was probably more psychological than physical.

“[It is a] good reminder that earthquakes can happen in the eastern part of North America,” he pointed out.

Filiatrault said that the data collected from this quake will help scientists better predict where earthquakes may occur and help engineers design more durable buildings.

Find out more about UB’s MCEER.

Reader Comments

Andrei M Reinhorn, PE PhD says:

The Earthquake Center (MCEER) at University at Buffalo is the pioneer in raising the awareness of earthquake risk in Eastern and Central United States and showing the need of effective actions for such low frequency high impact events. Although small as compared to the West cost, the influence of EUS and CUS earthquakes extends over large continental areas that could be devastated. The 5.9 magnitude is a warning for the future ones that could be ten time larger (of 6.9 M) with devastating effects. Perhaps now is the time to reflect on possible mitigation steps and preparedness toward a proper and organized response. Among the other missions, a current one at MCEER is to develop disaster resilient communities through proper management and suitable damage prevention solutions.

Posted by Andrei M Reinhorn, PE PhD, Clifford C Furnas Eminent Professor (CSEE), 08/26/11