WASHINGTON (WTVA) -- The shaking from an earthquake in the eastern United States can travel farther and cause damage over larger areas than previously thought.
Those are the findings of a new study by the U. S. Geological Survey following an earthquake in Virginia in August of 2011.
Scientist say landslides caused by the quake were found as far as 150 miles from the epicenter.
The distance is nearly four times farther and an area 20 times larger than previous research had shown.
The study will help inform hazard and risk assessments as well as emergency preparedness, whether for landslides or other earthquake effects.
USGS scientists say the report supports existing research showing that although earthquakes are less frequent in the East, their damaging effects can extend over a much larger area as compared to the western United States.
The research is being presented Tuesday at the Geological Society of America conference and will be published in the December 2012 issue of the
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.
