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Volcano In Mississippi? Four Earthquakes In The Past Month

By Antonio J. Newell
Published on: 07:25 PST, Jun 5, 2015

A volcano in Mississippi? Apparently, the state capital, Jackson, sits in an eerie position. Could this explain why the state, recently, felt earthquakes?

When you think of earthquakes and volcanoes, Mississippi is probably one of the last states that would come to mind. However, according to records, the state has good reason to be experiencing these natural occurrences.

The United States Geological Survey records tremors and quakes throughout the country, and more earthquakes happen in Mississippi than is realized by the general public.

However, the USGS has a particular take on quakes in southeastern U.S. The agency expresses as follows.

“…In some regions, such as the south-central states of the U.S., a significant majority of recent earthquakes are thought by many seismologists to have been human-induced.

Even within areas with many human-induced earthquakes, however, the activity that seems to induce seismicity at one location may be taking place at many other locations without inducing felt earthquakes.”

Yet, it’s not the case for these particular occurrences, according to USGS records of four quakes in the last month. In recent news, the state experienced two earthquakes in Madison County, as reports WAPT-16. The first was recorded at 3.2, while the second measured at a 3.0 magnitude.

In an interview with the news source, USGS Geophysicist Dale Grant elaborated on the incidents.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to be worried at this time. Earthquakes occur on faults that are not previously known……These in Mississippi, though unusual, their intensity — which is how we calculate whether there will be damage or possible injuries — are Mercalli two and three. So, in that case, it indicates that there was shaking that could be felt, but it isn’t strong enough to do structural damage.”

As reports WLBT-3, the city of Jackson was actually built atop the volcano. Coincidentally, experts found the fault beneath the city years ago.

Volcano In Mississippi - Four Earthquakes In The Past Month II
Credits: Twitter

Sources say that the volcano has been beneficial to Mississippi in the past. A geologist with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, David Dockery, quotes as follows.

“Oil and gas drilling in the 1930s we found gas in Jackson on a reef on top of the old volcano. In fact it’s credited with helping Mississippi get through the depression, the gas that was found at Jackson.

This structure at Jackson vented so much carbon dioxide in to the Jurassic strata, especially the Norfolk sandstone that we have maybe 10 percent of the national reserve in just two counties, Madison and Rankin County.”

The source also mentions that Jackson was once an island.

Amid this unusual information, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, below.

It seems this information was years-coming.

[Photo Credits: Twitter]

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