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Transcript for Hidden Fury, segment 01 of 11
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Memphis, Tennessee. On the far side of the Mississippi River the land smooths out in a broad, level plain. Below this veneer of rich farmland, one of the planet's most powerful earthquake zones lies hidden. In recent history the earth has trembled often here but rarely enough to cause serious damage so there hasn't been much concern for earthquakes. The population has grown to over ten million people in the region, and most development took place with no regard for earthquake safety.
The earthquake zone lies buried in the heart of America. It trends along the Mississippi River between Marked Tree, Arkansas, and Cairo, Illinois. Scientists call it the New Madrid Seismic Zone, named after a small town in southern Missouri. This is not the original town we see here. The first one vanished in eighteen twelve when the strongest series of earthquakes ever known on Earth tore the region apart. That was a long time ago, but scientific evidence shows that the New Madrid earthquake zone is still very much alive.
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