Humboldt Fault

{{Short description|Geological fault in Kansas and Nebraska, US}}

File:Humboldt Fault.svg (green) in Kansas and Nebraska]]

The Humboldt Fault or Humboldt Fault Zone, is a normal fault or series of faults, that extends from Nebraska southwestwardly through most of Kansas.from the Kansas Geological Survey (at the University of Kansas) [http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Oil/primer05.html site], oil geology page, accessed on December 16, 2006

Kansas is not particularly earthquake prone, ranking 45th out of 50 states by damage caused.KGS cite of Federal Emergency Management Agency [http://www.kgs.ku.edu/General/News/2000/earthquake.html report], accessed on December 16, 2006 However, the north-central part of the state, particularly Riley and Pottawatomie counties, is the most prone to earthquakes. The Humboldt Fault had the largest earthquake in Kansas history with the 1867 Manhattan, Kansas earthquake. It happened near the town of Wamego and was estimated at 5.5 on the Richter scale. Reportedly it was felt as far away as Dubuque, Iowa.