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Illinois Is At High Risk For Severe Earthquake; Safety Drill Is Planned

www.shakeout.org

The U.S. Geological Survey places Illinois at a high risk for a major quake in the next 50 years. Portions of the state are in the New Madrid and Wabash Valley Seismic Zones.

Credit www.shakeout.org

An international earthquake drill is scheduled this Thursday to get people ready in case "the big one" strikes.

The Great ShakeOut will stress the action "Drop, Cover, And Hold On" to help avoid injuries from falling items and debris. 

Patti Thompson, with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, admits people don't always think about earthquake preparedness.

"This is the one hazard we have that can happen without any warning whatsoever and people have to be able to just do something immediately,” Thompson said. “These are the immediate actions you can take to protect yourself."

People wanting to take part in this week's drill are asked to register at shakeout.org/centralus

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