Drought=Earthquakes (Los Angeles, San Jose, Mission Viejo: home, neighborhood, buy)

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by user_id

When was the last time you experienced a major earthquake? This is the problem many people have experienced hurricanes, few people have experienced a major earthquake so its easy to be glib about earthquakes. Most people in California have a blase attitude towards earthquakes due to lack of experience and/or knowledge, for example, many Californians don't have 1~2 weeks worth of water/food nor do they have a earthquake kit. Apparently many people naively believe that earthquakes just result in "a few inconveniences" so don't need to worry about food, water, etc.

For the US, earthquakes represent the most potential danger and damage and unlike other natural disasters they aren't predictable. In California, you are living under a time bomb and you have no idea when it will go off.

When we start having earthquake "season" I guess it will be time to leave CA.

Maybe we should start naming our potential earthquakes every year, like they do hurricanes.

Today in the news: Our 2014 potential earthquake will be named Annie, as this is the first year of this new program.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

When we start having earthquake "season" I guess it will be time to leave CA.

Umm.....huh? Yes because earthquakes occur randomly and not during predictable weather events they are no big deal.

I'm always amused how blase people, usually non-natives, are about earthquakes.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by user_id

I'm always amused how blase people, usually non-natives, are about earthquakes.

And I have always found being amused beats being irritated. Congratulations on your bright, cheerful attitude!

[Ghosted]

Originally Posted by user_id

When was the last time you experienced a major earthquake? This is the problem many people have experienced hurricanes, few people have experienced a major earthquake so its easy to be glib about earthquakes. Most people in California have a blase attitude towards earthquakes due to lack of experience and/or knowledge, for example, many Californians don't have 1~2 weeks worth of water/food nor do they have a earthquake kit. Apparently many people naively believe that earthquakes just result in "a few inconveniences" so don't need to worry about food, water, etc.

For the US, earthquakes represent the most potential danger and damage and unlike other natural disasters they aren't predictable. In California, you are living under a time bomb and you have no idea when it will go off.

I've never experienced a "major" earthquake but I'm well aware of how devastating they can be. But the ones that cause significant damage are not very common in comparison to tornadoes which we have close to a thousand per year usually with a lot if them causing a lot of damage. I do not want to experience a major earthquake but i would rather be in california with earthquakes then in the Midwest with the countless natural disasters they have there.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by user_id

I'm always amused how blase people, usually non-natives, are about earthquakes.

Oh, I gotta disagree. It's the newbies who worry about the earthquakes.

I'm 58 years old, and have lived in CA for 40 of them, including my childhood years. I have never experienced a major earthquake.

You keep asking when the last time was anyone experienced a major earthquake in CA. Then you act amazed at why we're not huddling under our tables with survival food. These two things contradict one another.

I lived in TN for 5 years, and experienced a tornado that went through downtown Nashville. And tornadoes are not common in TN.

How many people in FL have experienced hurricanes? As in every year, practically?

The odds of having a major earthquake impact my life is obviously just this side of nil.

Hence, I'm not going to worry about them.

[Ghosted]

My point exactly nomoresnowforme. I think a major earthquake will happen, but when? Tomorrow? Next week or next year or 1000 years from now. It's just not that common as a tornado or hurricane which happen every season. I've seen my fair share of tornadoes growing up in Kansas for 15 years and 4 major hurricanes in 2004 (South Florida.) I've only experienced two very mild earthquakes which did barely any damage but it was very nerve racking.

I hope one day I can study earthquakes once I finish school and I can complete a bucket list of mine which would be to stand on the San Andreas and study it. Would be pretty cool since my first name is Andreas

[user_id]

Originally Posted by Ghosted

But the ones that cause significant damage are not very common in comparison to tornadoes which we have close to a thousand per year usually with a lot if them causing a lot of damage..

There are a lot of tornadoes, but the vast majority of them occur in unpopulated areas and aren't large. Large tornadoes in populated areas aren't that common and when they do occur the damage is localized to a small area. Also with tornadoes you get warnings, not so with earthquakes.

Even if you live in tornado alley, the probability that you'll experience a major tornado is rather low. The probability that you'll experience a major earthquake in the LA or bay area over time is almost 100%.

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

I'm 58 years old, and have lived in CA for 40 of them, including my childhood years. I have never experienced a major earthquake.

Precisely....its easy to be nonchalant about earthquakes when you've never experienced a large one.

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

How many people in FL have experienced hurricanes? As in every year, practically?

Major hurricanes don't occur every year in every part of Florida, most hurricanes are small and break up relatively quickly when they hit land. And, as mentioned, hurricanes are predictable.

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

The odds of having a major earthquake impact my life is obviously just this side of nil.

If you live in one of the areas with large active faults, which most Californians do, then the odds of experiencing a major earthquake if you live here long term is almost 100%.....very far from "nil".

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by user_id

If you live in one of the areas with large active faults, which most Californians do, then the odds of experiencing a major earthquake if you live here long term is almost 100%.....very far from "nil".

LOL, okay. I'm 58 and lived in CA for 40 of those years. No major earthquake yet. How much longer will I live? Maybe another 40 years? Just to make the math easier.

I'm not good at math, but wouldn't there be some kind of statistical evidence here, that my odds of the 2nd 40 years of my life here being vastly different from my first 40 years here - be minimal?

And then of course, there are the odds that I probably won't live to be 98.

Any people out there that actually passed statistics?

Somehow, even being bad at math, I don't see 100% probability happening here.

[chuckmann]

Originally Posted by user_id

When was the last time you experienced a major earthquake? This is the problem many people have experienced hurricanes, few people have experienced a major earthquake so its easy to be glib about earthquakes. Most people in California have a blase attitude towards earthquakes due to lack of experience and/or knowledge, for example, many Californians don't have 1~2 weeks worth of water/food nor do they have a earthquake kit. Apparently many people naively believe that earthquakes just result in "a few inconveniences" so don't need to worry about food, water, etc.

For the US, earthquakes represent the most potential danger and damage and unlike other natural disasters they aren't predictable. In California, you are living under a time bomb and you have no idea when it will go off.

Let's see ... I was born here. I can remember hiding under my desk at school as a young child, when an earthquake hit. I have experienced several major quakes - over 7 magnitude. including the Hollister one in the early 80's, and the Loma Prieta one in 1989.

I think you have it backwards.

After an earthquake, even a giant one, we still have roads, we still have telephone poles, we generally still have running water and gas and electricity. Maybe a building or two collapses, or a freeway bridge. But life goes on and most people here in the SF area, even in the Loma Prieta quake, were not effected in any significant manner.

On the other hand, tornadoes and hurricanes can leave significant infrastructure damage and most people in the area of those events are significantly effected. no water, no power, no food. For everyone, not just for an unfortunate few.

But I like it that there are so many out of staters who suffer an irrational fear of earthqukes. Keep thinking that way. Tell everyone you know. The more of you we can keep from moving here, the better of we here will be!

[user_id]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

I'm not good at math, but wouldn't there be some kind of statistical evidence here, that my odds of the 2nd 40 years of my life here being vastly different from my first 40 years here - be minimal?

The fact that you have not personally experienced a major earthquake over 40 years has no barring on the probability of a major earthquake occurring in the next 40 years. But, as I've implied, earthquake risks are not equivalent throughout the state. Some areas will see major earthquakes every 2~3 decades, others every 50~100 years, etc.

My comment about "almost 100%" probability was explicitly made in reference to the bay area and LA area, not northern inland areas so I'm not sure why you're applying it to your personal situation.

Originally Posted by chuckmann

Let's see ... I was born here. I can remember hiding under my desk at school as a young child, when an earthquake hit. I have experienced several major quakes - over 7 magnitude. including the Hollister one in the early 80's, and the Loma Prieta one in 1989.

Several? The Loma Prieta earthquake was 6.9 and I'm not sure what major earthquake you're referring to in Hollister. The Loma Prieta occurred in a sparsely populated area, but still resulted in deaths and a lot of damage. If the same sized earthquake occurred closer to major population centers it would have resulted in far more deaths and damage.

Originally Posted by chuckmann

After an earthquake, even a giant one, we still have roads, we still have telephone poles, we generally still have running water and gas and electricity.

You said this before, repeating it doesn't make it true. Roads, highways, bridges, etc all get heavily damaged in a major earthquake. You won't have water, electricity, gas, etc.....all utilities will go down and even if they didn't...it wouldn't be save to use them. In a serious earthquake, one greater than 7.0, utilities could be out for weeks to months for many people.

Originally Posted by chuckmann

On the other hand, tornadoes and hurricanes can leave significant infrastructure damage and most people in the area of those events are significantly effected.

Severe tornadoes can flatten effected areas but they have limited scope and as such not comparable to earthquakes. Hurricanes are more comparable, you have widespread damage, but they primarily effect coastal cities and they come with ample warning. Though earthquakes are capable of far more damage.