Earthquakes in SanFran
Jun 15th, 2001, 01:41 PM
#1
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Earthquakes in SanFran
This will be my first visit to Califonia and I am just terrified of being in an earthquake. I want to know the frequency of quakes if they happen every day or what. I would also like to know how to be prepared for such an event.
Jun 15th, 2001, 02:08 PM
#2
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There are hundreds of earthquakes in California every week. Most of them are in the 2-3 range and you'll never feel them but they relieve the pressure on the many, many faults here in the state. Building specs in California are very strict and I believe I read that you are 98% sure of surviving an earthquake but there is a real danger of being injured. Having lived through the Northridge quake (and I'm not trying to minimize it--it was very scary), about 2 weeks afterward there was a tornedo in the Midwest. Two more people were killed in the tornado than in the quake.Hotels and other public buildings are quite safe and most of the older properties have been retrofitted. I would rather take my chances in an earthquake than in a hurricane, tornado or blizzard. If your fear of quakes will spoil your trip, maybe you should think of another destination, but you can't live in California and worry about earthquakes. It would make you crazy!
Jun 15th, 2001, 02:25 PM
#3
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I've felt earthquakes in the Chicago area and in Mass. The Chicago one just felt like a really heavy truck going by. The Mass. one was very early in the morning and rattled some doors and my uncle, father of 3 preschoolers, just woke up enough to yell "get back in bed!" thinking the kids were up rough-housing.
So they can happen anywhere, and I think most of what you might feel would be something like that, at worst.
Go to the Exploratorium and try the earthquake simulator to see what one -- a big one -- would feel like. It may, surprising, reassure you or at least familiarize you with something you have no experience of.
Don't stay inside if people around you are reacting as if it's a serious quake -- stand under reinforced door jams, etc. etc. And whattheheck, carry a cell phone.
Go to: http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/ for updates, info, maps and current happenings.
So they can happen anywhere, and I think most of what you might feel would be something like that, at worst.
Go to the Exploratorium and try the earthquake simulator to see what one -- a big one -- would feel like. It may, surprising, reassure you or at least familiarize you with something you have no experience of.
Don't stay inside if people around you are reacting as if it's a serious quake -- stand under reinforced door jams, etc. etc. And whattheheck, carry a cell phone.
Go to: http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/ for updates, info, maps and current happenings.
Jun 15th, 2001, 02:27 PM
#4
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Price, you might have a look at the Red Cross' excellent earthquake safety page at http://www.redcross.org/services/dis...eadyearth.html
The most important thing to know about earthquakes is that dangerous ones are extremely rare, and in places like California (really all the west coast) there is a high degree of public readiness in most areas. If you should be caught in one, it likely will be over before you realize it's happening, but if it's severe, the best thing to do is get under something heavy, like a dining table or desk, and stay away from windows, due to the risk of glass. If you're in bed, do like most of us do, and plan for a full day of being awake, early. Kam is absolutely right - there are more dangerous natural phenomena around, and your chances of injury in California have a lot more to do with the freeways than with earthquakes.
The most important thing to know about earthquakes is that dangerous ones are extremely rare, and in places like California (really all the west coast) there is a high degree of public readiness in most areas. If you should be caught in one, it likely will be over before you realize it's happening, but if it's severe, the best thing to do is get under something heavy, like a dining table or desk, and stay away from windows, due to the risk of glass. If you're in bed, do like most of us do, and plan for a full day of being awake, early. Kam is absolutely right - there are more dangerous natural phenomena around, and your chances of injury in California have a lot more to do with the freeways than with earthquakes.
Jun 16th, 2001, 07:45 AM
#5
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I've lived in San Francisco for 18 years. We had one big earthquake in that time (Oct., 1989), so the chance of anything bad happening to you while you are here is miniscule.
If you check the statistics, the most dangerous natural phenomena in the United States are tornados and lightening, killing an average of 75 people per year each. We don't have either in San Francisco (lightening occurs here very rarely), so you're probably safer here than most other places in the country.
I also recommend the Exploratorium's simulated earthquake to get the feeling of a big one.
If you check the statistics, the most dangerous natural phenomena in the United States are tornados and lightening, killing an average of 75 people per year each. We don't have either in San Francisco (lightening occurs here very rarely), so you're probably safer here than most other places in the country.
I also recommend the Exploratorium's simulated earthquake to get the feeling of a big one.
