Chicago Homes Rocked in Simulation of Huge Illinois Quake

It's the one natural disaster that you rarely see anyone talk about when they discuss Chicago, but it is very much a reality. What would a major earthquake do to homes in the Windy City? An earthquake simulator will show you what's possible.

Earthquake Sim on YouTube shows what could happen to Chicago if a major quake strikes Illinois

Using what is known as the Mercalli Scale, they simulate what 10 different earthquake scenarios would do to Chicago. The Mercalli Scale is different than the Richter Scale since it shows the total damage to buildings and people compared to the total energy released by an earthquake. Watch how Chicago townhomes would be impacted by earthquakes from the mild and barely noticed to wildly destructive. They start with intensity 3 which some don't even recognize as an earthquake to intensity 10 which would destroy nearly every building.

Read More: Could Busch Stadium Survive a Major Quake?

Wait, isn't a major quake impossible in Chicago?

What many don't realize is the Central United States Earthquake Consortium estimates the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone is capable of a magnitude 7 earthquake. The good news is even this worst-case scenario tremor would likely not cause anything close to the intensity 10 damage on the Mercalli Scale. Estimates say that Chicago would have damage to older homes, but the bigger concern would be potential power outages and utility disruptions. It all depends on how far away Chicago is from the epicenter. A magnitude 7 quake would almost certainly result in a strong shaking in Chicago even if the major damage in the video simulation would be avoided. Still, the simulation is a good reminder to always be earthquake aware in Illinois no matter what part of the state you live in.