Statewide Earthquake Drill: "What's gonna getcha is falling debris."

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) Missouri is one of fourteen states to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill Thursday. At 10:17 a.m. participants used the “drop, cover, and hold on” technique. State Earthquake Program Manager Jeff Briggs says that Missouri is home to the very large and active New Madrid Seismic Zone.

"What's gonna getcha is falling debris. If there are heavy objects around you or part of a building that might fall...these heavy objects falling is what causes injuries and fatalities. So, what you want to do is drop to the ground as soon as the shaking starts before the shaking knocks you down and protect yourself," Briggs tells Missourinet.

"So the experts say that when you have an active seismic zone and there have been big quakes in the past that it's only a matter of time before there are more big earthquakes . And when that happens it's going to be the worst natural disaster this state has ever seen," Briggs says.

In 1811 and 1812, that seismic zone produced some of the largest earthquakes in U.S. history.

The state conducts the drill every year.