SoCal Earthquake

Seems like Cali has had a lot of small quakes lately. Is there any concern that these are "preshocks" building up to something bigger?

 

Yeah, that's exactly the concern. The Inglewood fault is relatively dormant, so all this movement lately makes some people anxious that something bigger is on the way. Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's nothing.

Now, if the Caltech people start getting worried ... then I'll start worrying.

 

The Caltech guys are probably too busy critiquing the new Star Trek movie and figuring out how to fuck with the Rose Bowl scoreboard to care about a piddly earthquake.

 

Call me morbid but I always wanted to be going up for the down stroke and an earthquake hit. What a rush.

 

As long as you stand in the backdoor and let the frame protect you ....

 

Ummm, no. Not a good idea.

For the longest time, this was considered the thing to do if you were in a building: find the nearest door frame. During the '94 Northridge quake, I had just gone back to bed after getting up with my wife to feed our month-old son when the entire house started shaking.

I remember laying there for 15 seconds -- room and house shaking all the while -- before thinking "I probably should get up and get in a door frame."

But I heard two earthquake experts this week say that's not a good idea. You're better off getting under a table or a desk than standing in a door frame.

Above all, they said DON'T run outside. The majority of people who get hurt in quakes are those who ran outside.

 

What is the reasoning for not running outside?

I can see how that would make sense if you were in an area with a lot of buildings and something could fall on you but I would think if you lived in a remote area you might be safer outdoors than in your house.

 

They said the statistics from earthquake injuries showed that more people were hurt by running outside (falling debris, glass, etc) than those who stayed inside under some sturdy object.

Unfortunately, it was radio and they didn't elaborate further, AQB.