Doug Gouzie

Unimaginable and devastating. Those are words you might use to describe a sinkhole.

Dr. Doug Gouzie, geology professor at Missouri State University, explains why sinkholes are more common in Missouri than many other places in the world.

"About 60% of the rock underneath Missouri is limestone, or very closely related, dissolvable rock. About 20% of the country is that way, but that means only 20% of the country, including Missouri, has this kind of rock," Gouzie said. 

Earthquakes may seem like a distant problem to citizens of southwest Missouri. However, historical records do show evidence of strong seismic activity in Missouri’s past.

The New Madrid Seismic Zone encompasses Missouri’s Bootheel and was the center of strong earthquakes in the early 1800s. It is still active and must be considered when planning and building.