Did you know, since the 1906 earthquake in SF, that there are water pods all over the city? I am from N calif originally myself. I use to be in the concrete resoration business. We spent some time in SF, sealing and repairing cracks on some of these pods. They are underground at most intersections. That was one of the problems in the "big" quake. Access to water supply was cut off. These big tanks give firefighters water supply all throughout the city. It was weird...late at night...working in a big freakin hole! LOL

Prepared....I know Jesus if that's what you mean! LOL

dave

8track............ I have lived in California most of my life. Sure there is a big earthquake comming some day , could be thousands of years, Could be tomorrow. And the sun will burn out someday too. California is not the only place prone to Earthquakes, They can happen anywhere !! I will take the Earthquakes over the Hurricanes and Tornados,Snow storms and the like.

Your life isn't threatened every time theres an earthquake, in fact most of them you don't even notice. But be in the path of a Hurricane or Tornado and you could be toast.

Nobody knows when the Earthquakes will happen and most of them are over in 1 to 2 minutes and then life goes on, Now with a Hurricane the media scares you half to death for days , you need to board up the windows and get supplies etc. You don't have much time to get out of the way of a Tornado if it's comming your way and it will destroy your house every time one hits.

I actually live 5 miles away from the San Andreas fault, Doesn't bother me one bit.

I love it in California. You can go to the beach and go Snow skiing in the same day if you want to. Doesn't get too cold or too hot either.

I have been to many other States .There are many very nice places in this country to live. But I would rather be here in California.

TUC

This thread prompted me to revisit some earthquake web sites. Then some other hurricane sites. I really think that earthquakes are WAY overblown.

The total number of deaths resulting from earthquakes in the U.S. since 1800 total just over 4,000. And 3,000 of those were from the 1906 quake and fires in S.F.

The total number of deaths from just one hurricane, Galveston in 1900, was probably 8,000.

and furthermore...

The Katrina disaster prompted me to pull out the reference books and study natural disasters. The biggest killer of people, by far, are floods. Nothing comes close.

Yellow River flood in China, 1931. Estimates as high as 4,000,000 killed.

"Are you all prepared for this potential nightmare on your collective horizons?" - 8track

There really isn't anything you can do in the event of a major earthquake, other than having supplies on hand. When San Diego caught fire a few years ago, my wife made me stock up ammo, water, dry food, batteries, and a trauma kit. It's seems like overkill, but that's about all you can do.

The tornado vs. earthquake comparison is somewhat curious. How many measurable earthquakes happen each year in California? (ballpark figure)

We get tornados every Summer but nothing compared to what the folks in Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska get.

At least with tornados, you often get a couple minutes notice that all hell is about to break loose.

I'm on board as not wanting to live in a hurricane zone. Just the bother of boarding up, getting out, then getting the looters out is enough to talk me out of living in the Gulf Coast or on the Atlantic Ocean south of Virgina.

Guess the concept of being on solid ground just means too much to me.

I imagine monthly quakes that tip over bookcases, crack walls and foundations. The constant clean up, but maybe I've just seen too much about them over the last couple weeks.

Does your homeowners insurance cover quake damage, or is their an additional premium you have to pay for that?

Home is home I guess. Was just wondering.

Thanks for the feedback.

8track, when they say there are hundreds of quakes a month, 99% of them are either too low in the earth, in the ocean, or not noticeable at all. There has been zero damage (cracks, things falling, etc,..) in all my homes in the past 7 years and also including my parents home which has been there 50 years. Store don't do anything special in the wine/liquor isles. The bottles sit right on the edge and nothing happens. Only if the trembler is over 5.0 will you generally see something fall.

Insurance is a whole new ballpark. Your standard home owners ins. will not cover earthquakes. You will need to find a company who specializes just in earthquakes. They are a rip-off. It's like $300/month and $10,000 deductables. I'll take my chances without it, thank you.

Hope this gives you a little more insight.

I live in CA, and I still remember the October 1989 earthquake, it was really powerfull. I have 30 cans of refried beans, 200 pounds of rice, 120 cans of "reserve" beer,6 cartons of cigarettes, 2 bottles of jack daniels, 4 large SPAM, tabasco, 10 gallons of distilled water, and water purification pills for the creek behind my house. I have enough food for a while. But I hate living in CA. I love snow and freezing temps, I want to move someday. Where is the coldest state in the US?

I live about 1200 ft above sea level and far enough inland that a sunami created by a quake won't get to me. Um... unless i'm at work. Then i'm screwed because i'm right on the Pacific.

I have been through a few earthquakes since I bought my house. They build most of the houses to sway with the movement. They level out an area, lay concrete slabs on top of the level ground, then build the houses on the slabs. Sure, the house shakes, but usually you won't even get cracks in the drywall.

Basements or cellars are pretty much out of the question here, though...

sweet