June 23, 1994
Star Tribune

Minnesota's Earthquake Risk
Lewis Cope, Staff Writer

"Minnesota's earthquake risk is about as low as it gets in the nation," said Val Chandler of the Minnesota Geological Survey.

"The Pacific-rim risk: The Earth's crust is made up of gigantic plates that form the ocean and basins and continents. The sliding together of the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate has created faults (cracks) and pressures in the California rock formation, making the area prone to quakes. Similar plate crashes make areas all around the Pacific Rim -- from Bolivia to Japan -- vulnerable to quakes. Minnesota's mid-continent location puts it at a very safe distance from this action," Chandler noted.