Dallas Looks At Earthquake Preparedness After Earthquake Swarm
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IRVING (CBSDFW.COM) - Another earthquake shook Irving on Sunday night, and several other North Texas cities are starting to take action. The Dallas City Council's Public Safety Committee will meet Monday for a briefing on how to properly prepare for earthquakes.
The new year is not even two weeks old yet, but 17 earthquakes have already rocked North Texas since 2015 began. The most recent one struck at around 8:00 p.m. on Sunday night, and measured 2.5 in magnitude. Researchers are looking at the rumblings to determine what might be causing all the shaking.
But surrounding cities are taking notes as well. When city leaders in Dallas meet on Monday, they will talk about some ways to get Dallas residents ready, just in case a larger earthquake arrives. So far, none of the North Texas quakes have reached 4.0 in magnitude -- the point where damage is to be expected, according to experts.
Talks on Monday will include a closer look at building code standards, and discussion about the development of a task force. Leaders could even address the city's master emergency operations plan, and develop a social media campaign to rally the community.
Even though most of the recent quakes were centered in Irving, they have been felt in cities much further away, such as Bedford, Plano and Mesquite. Walls were cracked at the Grauwyler Recreation Center in northwest Dallas after a quake in Irving. People living and working in Dallas high-rises have reported feeling the tremors too.
Read More About North Texas Earthquakes
According to Dallas City Council member Dwaine Caraway, the preparedness discussions will not end with the talks on Monday. "I think this is a regional Dallas/Fort Worth initiative that we need to take on to protect the entire region," he said. "It's so very important that the region collectively work together."
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