FEMA TO THE RESCUE - SINKHOLES SWALLOWING SOUTHERN MISSOURI

FEMA To The Rescue – Sinkholes Swallowing Southern Missouri

Sunday, November 17, 2013 7:03

(Before It's News)

(N.Morgan) These sinkholes are by the New Madrid Fault Line. This could be a reason for concern. Could this cause a massive chain reaction, hence, setting off the New Madrid? Between all of the flooding and other bad weather there, this could turn into a very serious situation. Now that FEMA is there, that would imply the situation is probably a lot worse than what is being reported.
Fr.Duffy Fighting 69th, posed the question to me about how many nuclear plants were in the New Madrid Zone. The answer is 15 nuclear plants are in the Madrid zone. This could set off a reaction of disastrous proportions.


Here’s a map:

I also included this report- of what the results could be, if the New Madrid was set off and the events that could be set into motion involving the nuclear plants, in the path.


See below:
Bob Nations, Jr., the Director of Shelby County Office of Preparedness, says that since the lack of preparation exposed by Hurricane Katrina, he is “preparing for the catastrophic event” in his six-county jurisdiction.

Nations admitted that after a major quake, Tennessee’s infrastructure and response capabilities “would get overwhelmed fairly quickly.”

There are 15 nuclear power plants in the New Madrid fault zone — three reactors in Alabama — that are of the same or similar design as the site in Japan experiencing problems.

The USGS report predicts that a major quake would create horrific scenes like something out of a science fiction movie, potentially cutting the Eastern part of the country off from the West in terms of vehicular traffic and road commerce.

“The older highways and railroad bridges that cross the Mississippi River, as well as older overpasses, would likely be damaged or collapse in the event of a major New Madrid earthquake,” according to USGS.

In September, FEMA’s associate administrator for Response and Recovery, William Carwile, told a Senate panel that FEMA has five regional groups planning for possible earthquake responses, but a major quake along the New Madrid fault line could displace 7.2 million people and knock out 15 bridges. The response would require 42,000 first responders from local firefighters to the Pentagon.

Another study by the Mid-America Earthquake Center last year estimates that nearly 750,000 buildings would be damaged, 3,000 bridges would potentially collapse, 400,000 breaks and leaks to local pipelines and $300 billion in direct damage and $600 billion in indirect losses would occur.

Here’s the story as reported by the Southern Missourian:
More sinkholes are showing up on Cape Girardeau’s south side, and they continue to grow.
Cape Girardeau public works director Tim Gramling on Wednesday said continued Mississippi River flooding means the sinkholes that have shown up in the South Sprigg Street area remain “active” with the potential to grow.
“When I say they’re active, that means they continue to grow and swallow whatever is inside or nearby the hole,” he said. “That’s just the nature of a sinkhole.”

Sinkholes on South Sprigg Street, as seen Wednesday, June, 19, 2013, continue to grow.
(Laura Simon)


There have been reports of a third sinkhole forming along the street, and Gramling said it is related to the others.
“It’s actually just part of one that’s already there,” he said. “It’s kind of difficult to explain, but they’re all a part of the same underground system.”
The city so far has found four sinkholes in the area that now is being called the “South Sprigg sinkhole area.” Two are on the road, another near LaCroix Creek and one underneath the bridge on Sprigg Street.
Gramling said growth or “movement” was to be expected and the city is trying to determine whether anything could be done about the problem. The sinkholes have closed a portion of South Sprigg Street.
The sinkhole near the creek is causing water to flood into the nearby Buzzi Unicem quarry. Gramling previously said employees from Buzzi Unicem were attempting to keep down the flow into the quarry by damming the creek. Messages left at Buzzi Unicem on Wednesday afternoon were not returned.
Another hole formed Tuesday in a south-side yard, but emergency responders who went to the scene said it wasn’t clear whether this new void was a sinkhole similar to those along Sprigg Street.
The Cape Girardeau Fire Department at 7:25 p.m. on Tuesday responded to a call of a possible sinkhole formation on South Ellis Street.
Fire chief Rick Ennis said firefighters found a hole behind a vacant house at 1125 S. Ellis St., but he was unsure Wednesday whether it was an actual sinkhole.
“At this point we’re not treating it like it is [a sinkhole], but we will be monitoring the area to see if it’s an isolated incident or if more occur,” he said.
Ennis said there were no hazards, injuries or damages.
The incident occurred about 1 mile north of the sinkholes that have formed at South Sprigg Street.
Gramling said at that distance, it is unlikely the Ellis Street hole is related to the Sprigg Street sinkholes. While he has been out of town and unable to look at the hole for himself, Gramling said the collapse likely occurred because of a void left underground from an old sewer line or septic tank.
Although the sinkholes have been a concern in that area since 2007, the problem worsened when the Mississippi River rose above flood stage for the second time this spring, cresting just short of 45 feet June 7. The river was slow to retreat, hovering just below the “major” flood mark of 42 feet into the next week.
The river at Cape Girardeau was estimated to be at almost 35.5 feet Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Flood stage at Cape Girardeau is 32 feet.

One of several sinkholes along South Sprigg Street is seen in this photo Wednesday. City officials say the sinkholes are growing in size and number. (Laura Simon)


Gramling also has said the retreating water can actually aggravate the sinkholes.
On Wednesday, representatives with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Missouri State Emergency Management Agency met with local emergency management officials to inspect the sinkholes on South Sprigg Street and conduct joint preliminary damage assessments.
“The assessors came to look at any damages or impacts the local community sustained as a result of the flooding, including the sinkholes,” said Mark Hasheider, assistant fire chief and emergency management coordinator for Cape Girardeau. “They do this anytime there’s been a federal [disaster] declaration.”
FEMA spokeswoman Cindy Kimber said the assessment provides officials with a “big picture” to determine what assistance may be needed for disaster recovery.
“Basically, what they’re looking at are the protective measures in place and any damages that might have occurred to infrastructure,” she said.
Once the assessment is complete, Kimber said the information will be used to determine whether it is within the state’s capability to assist the community or whether federal assistance will be required.