Idaho: A Land of Earthquakes?

 


    So one thing I never considered when I was planning my move to Idaho was Earthquakes. I thought about mountains, and rockslides, and avalanches, and the potential for complete destruction by a supervolcano mere miles from my home. But earthquakes? Never even entered my mind. When I think of Earthquakes, I generally think of California, which sits atop the San Andreas fault and so has earthquakes all the time. I've personally experienced one there, as well as a couple in Alaska and, surprisingly, one in Houston, Texas, which was powerful enough to crack the foundation of my school. Thus, when I thought about moving to a place as mountainous as Idaho, it should have registered that earthquakes were a potential danger. But it never did. 
    Looking at Eastern Idaho, I see a large section of mountain range which, though it is petering out compared to the soaring peaks which one gets further South in Utah and Colorado, still has the power to strike one with awe. This is clearly the result of the plate boundaries not far, geologically speaking, from idaho, which have caused mountains to be shoved up miles into the air. This realization, I admit, brought a spark of fear. I don't like earthquakes. I'm one of those people who likes for my feet to stay firmly on the ground. What is one supposed to do when the ground itself starts shifting!? I'm going to make sure that my house is Earthquake proofed. 












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