Earthquake awareness, safest States, unsafest States, 7 powerful quakes, prediction fallacies and realities, keep reading

April 18, 1906, a major earthquake magnitude of 7.9 occurred in the City of San Francisco California, 112 years ago. The epicenter was off the northern California coast on the San Andreas Fault. Beginning in San Juan Bautista in San Benito County to Humboldt County and out to sea for an unknown distance. Felt from Los Angelos in Southern California, to Coos Bay in the North, the damage was severe in San Francisco as well as in other towns near the fault, San Jose, Salinas, and Santa Rosa.

The fires caused a lot of buildings to be destroyed in the 1906
San Francisco Earthquake.

Sarah Winchester was engaged in the building of her home in San Jose, the earthquake was felt there also, in fact, she was trapped in a room after it occurred. My dad would not be born for another 12 years, my mom 15 years later, Theodore Roosevelt was the President of the United States. It was a long time ago. The last known survivor was a man, William Del Monte's, he was bundled into a horse-drawn cart along with his family and fled the city. William was 3-month's old when the earthquake occurred, he passed away 11 days before his 110th birthday in San Francisco, where he lived his entire life. Leveling much of the city, between 3,000-6,000 people lost their lives. Fires raged for four days, leveling 3/4 of the City, more than 28,000 structures were destroyed.
  The San Francisco earthquake struck 112 years ago, there have been other ones that have occurred but not at that magnitude (in the continental U.S.) since, I have added the Anchorage Earthquake of 1964, it eclipsed the 1906 quake easily. Seven of the strongest earthquakes that have occurred in California, prior to and after the San Francisco earthquake:

1)  Fort Tejon, January 9, 1857-magnitude 7.6
2)  Owens Valley, March 26, 1872-magnitude 7.4
3)  Imperial Valley, February 24, 1892-magnitude 7.8
4)  San Francisco, April 18, 1906-magnitude 7.9
5)  West of Eureka, January 31, 1922-magnitude 7.3
6)  Kern County, July 21, 1952-magnitude 7.3
7)  Landers, June 28, 1992-magnitude 7.3

  In a class all, it's own was the Earthquake that occurred on March 27, 1964, in Anchorage Alaska. Total damage $311 million, Tsunami was major at 220 feet and it measured 9.2 magnitudes.

  A magnitude 10 has never been measured, the most powerful ever recorded was in 1960 that struck Chile, magnitude 9.5. It is predicted a magnitude 10 would shake the ground for up to an hour, a Tsunami may occur while the shaking continues. Is it possible for a 10 to take place? 30 times greater than a 9.0, some scientists believe a 10 magnitude occurs at 10,000-year intervals.

  As we can see the earthquakes were (and still are), scattered throughout the state, there is a possibility someone that has experienced two or perhaps more of them. If someone did, for that day they would have to have been well traveled. Travel between San Francisco and Los Angelos was fairly commonplace, Fort Tejon was the Southernmost outpost of the Presidio which is near Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. To experience one of these events would be bad as it is, but to be involved in two or more would be a terrible coincidence.

Anchorage, Alaska 1964

  I wrote a little more than I wanted to on the "Big" earthquake, my intent is to bring to light just how long ago it was, and the tragedy of a powerful earthquake striking a major city, along with the unpredictability of Earthquakes. We can assemble a list of any length with every quake that has ever occurred, and sadly prediction is still not accurate. Unfortunately, natural disasters do not telegraph their intentions years, months, days, or weeks in advance, at least no indications that are obvious. We are reminded quite often of the threat of the "Big One", that is going to occur at some point in the future. That is not really a prediction, in my opinion, what would constitute a warning would include these three points.

  A) Location of the predicted earthquake, we have to know where the threat is, a huge task in its own right. Earthquake scientist covers a large area, predicting one would take in more area than just locally. The entire West Coast from Alaska to the tip of South America is in a very seismically active area, and to accurately predict where is daunting in the least. Measuring instruments have increased in number to aid Geologist, there is a mountain of data to compare.

  B) The accurate time it is to occur, almost as intimidating as the location, time can be elusive, to come up with a series of natural events that leads up to a quake will take a long time.

  C) A prediction made allowing time for people to prepare. along with what time the shaker will start is to detect and make the prediction in a usable amount of time. I am using the term "usable amount of time", a warning of one second would do little, 10 seconds would be much better. Ideally an hour or more, however when it is possible to predict them a 5-minute warning would most likely save many lives.
(Follow this Link to Scientists earthquake outlook for 2018.)
  That is pretty much the definition of Earthquake prediction, it is a branch of science known as "Seismology", with the parameters of Time, Location, and Magnitude as the main focus. The goal is for "the determination of parameters for the next powerful earthquake to occur in a given area". There is no way to predict earthquakes accurately there are some who don't believe it will ever be able to be accomplished successfully. Science can make a prediction of any fault with the statement of "yes an earthquake will occur on this fault.", but there is no way to know when it will occur. Rats, mink, snakes, and centipedes were observed leaving their homes and headed out of the area several days before the shaker took place. We hear peoples accounts of fish, birds, reptiles, cats, and dogs displaying out of the ordinary behavior from seconds to weeks prior to a powerful earthquake.
  Earthquake Weather, Cloudy, strong winds, fireballs, meteors, and calm, we wish there was "earthquake weather", however sadly there is not. Earthquakes are equally distributed during cold weather, hot weather, rain, storms, and all other conditions we face on a daily basis.
  Small Earthquakes can trigger larger ones, that is a tough statistic to track, the seismograph shows aftershocks, foreshocks, as well as the main earthquake, it could be easy to make the wrong diagnosis.
  Tonga, Fiji is in an extremely active seismic area and is the location of the world where the most earthquakes are recorded.
  Florida and North Dakota have the fewest earthquakes in the U.S.
  The states experiencing the most earthquakes: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utan, Washington, and Wyoming, an extensive list. Oklahoma has had an increase in earthquakes due to fracking.
  Some of the safest countries to live in to avoid earthquakes: Finland, UAE, Iceland, Oman, Hong Kong, Singapore, Norway, and Switzerland.

  I guess this means if a person has a terror-inducing fear of Earthquakes, make a choice of anywhere but, yes, Fiji, I have met people from Fiji they are very friendly, happy, and good people, I suppose no one told them they are living in the most seismically active area in the world.

Iceland, safe from Earthquakes.

  Lacking prediction our recourse is to be ready for one to occur, it could be in 10 years or 10 seconds, no one knows. It is prudent for us to prepare in advance for our own survival, water, as usual, is the most important item, in my opinion, to keep on hand. Put a plan together, FEMA has templates set up for families and businesses to assist in organizing their preparations. (Follow this Link to FEMA's templates.) Tasks such as building a habit of charging cell phones every night, keeping our vehicles 1/2 full of fuel, and an out of the area contact to ensure everyone's safety. Prepare to address gas leaks, water leaks, loss of electricity for at least 3 days, loss of water service, and fire. Fire is a companion of most disasters as is a loss of utilities, but a fire is what does most of the destruction after a quake. To have a 6-day kit either self-made or purchase of a commercially prepared kit is prudent as well. In the event that the earthquake is very destructive and widespread, you will be ensuring your safety and well being with nominal preparation and awareness.
  Thank you for reading and sharing my blog, Earthquakes take place in every country, every state throughout the world, with a little pro-active preparation we can increase our survival, without a prediction. Thank you again!

jacquesandkate  EmergencyKitsPlus.com