"Great Shakeout" Earthquake Exercise Today

Authorities in nine Midwestern states are trying to make this morning's Great Central U.S. ShakeOut the largest earthquake drill ever held.

Many of the drills and exercises take place around 10:15 a.m. today, when participants are asked to "drop, cover, and hold on."

You can still register for the drill at the official website,  www.shakeout.org/centralus, where you will find advice on earthquake preparedness. Over 2.8 million Midwestern residents have already signed up for the event, including 530,000 Kentuckians, 550,000 people from Illinois, 543,000 in Missouri and 264,000 from Tennessee.

Parts of southern Illinois, western Kentucky northwest Tennessee and the Missouri bootheel sit atop two major fault lines, including the New Madrid Seismic Zone.

The most powerful series of earthquakes ever recorded in the U.S. happened between 1811 and 1812 near New Madrid, Missouri.

Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Jonathon Monken says people should know escape routes, have an earthquake kit and make plans to care for pets.