Mississippi, located in the southeastern United States, experiences seismic activity and documented earthquakes. Although the region is not as seismically active as the West Coast, the geological structure of the central and eastern U.S. allows earthquake shaking to be felt over a much wider area. While major earthquakes are rare, the potential for destructive events originating from nearby, highly active zones poses the greatest risk. Smaller tremors with epicenters directly in Mississippi have also been recorded.
Documented Earthquakes in Mississippi History
Earthquakes centered within Mississippi have been recorded for over three hundred years, starting with the first documented event on Christmas Day in 1699. The total number of events is small, and many are minor. About one-fifth of the nearly fifty known events are only detectable by instruments, typically ranging between magnitude 2.0 and 4.0, causing slight shaking but rarely significant damage.
The strongest earthquake centered in Mississippi occurred on December 16, 1931, near the Batesville-Charleston area. This magnitude 4.7 event was felt across over sixty-five thousand square miles, reaching Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee. In Charleston, the maximum intensity caused chimneys to collapse and walls to crack. A magnitude 3.8 quake in 1967, centered northeast of Greenville, was felt across four states, demonstrating the far-reaching nature of central U.S. quakes.
The Influence of the New Madrid Seismic Zone
Mississippi’s most significant seismic risk comes from the powerful New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), not from quakes centered within its borders. The NMSZ is a major intraplate zone located primarily in Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky, with its closest boundary near the northern edge of Mississippi. This zone is associated with the Reelfoot Rift, an ancient, failed rift system that makes the crust susceptible to fault movement.
The NMSZ’s historical impact was illustrated by the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811–1812, a series of three massive shocks estimated between magnitude 7 and 8. These powerful events were felt throughout the Mississippi Territory. Reports included furniture being jarred as far south as Natchez, and intense shaking caused the banks of the Mississippi River to cave in near Vicksburg. Northern Mississippi is particularly vulnerable to a repeat event due to its proximity, which could cause widespread damage to infrastructure.
Current Seismic Hazard and Mitigation Efforts
Based on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data, Mississippi is classified as having a medium earthquake hazard. This classification indicates a 10% probability for potentially damaging earthquake shaking to occur within a 50-year period. The highest risk is concentrated in the northwestern counties due to their direct exposure to a major NMSZ event. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) focuses on the 18 counties most likely to be impacted, developing specific response and recovery plans.
Mitigation efforts focus on structural resilience and public preparedness. Mississippi has adopted the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC), which contain required seismic provisions for new construction. This ensures that new buildings are designed to withstand the calculated risk level of ground shaking. MEMA also promotes public preparedness by teaching residents the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” procedure and actionable steps like securing large furniture and appliances.