Earthquakes in California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Burbank: home, tornado, earthquake)

[NorthNJ]

I want to move to LA-Area in my future, but I never felt or seen any earthquakes before and I'm little afraid of it. How often does earthquakes occur in Los Angeles-Area and Southern California? When was the last time it happend? Do you feel it when it happens? Does it damage anything?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by NorthNJ

I want to move to LA-Area in my future, but I never felt or seen any earthquakes before and I'm little afraid of it. How often does earthquakes occur in Los Angeles-Area and Southern California? When was the last time it happend? Do you feel it when it happens? Does it damage anything?

What happened when you looked up the earthquake data on the internet?

[Kibbiekat]

Welcome to the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program

There are earthquakes all the time, but most can't be felt.

[california5]

I've lived in California my entire life, minus a few years during the military. I've only felt two big earthquakes and they didn't cause damage in my area. Earthquakes occur all the time, most are small and undetectable. Lots of little ones are good, it means the tension is being released in little bits rather than storing up for a big one. Some areas are more prone to quakes than others, you would have to research that. I grew up mid way between SF and Sac and, like I said, only felt two big ones.

[norcalmom101]

Are you aware of the current probabilities for a major earthquake in California? Here is a link California Has More Than 99% Chance Of A Big Earthquake WIthin 30 Years, Report Shows.

99% probability in the next 30 years. Do some research on the Cascadia Subduction Zone. California is by no means the only vulnerable area. I check the USGS site listed in post #3 every day.

If you do move here there are things you can do to mitigate your risk, do some research and make sure you are on stable ground. Avoid poorly consolidated ground, etc. You might also want to take sea level rise into consideration!

[cottonwood2420]

Originally Posted by NorthNJ

How often does earthquakes occur in Los Angeles-Area and Southern California?

Often enough.

Originally Posted by NorthNJ

Do you feel it when it happens?

If it is strong enough.

Originally Posted by NorthNJ

Does it damage anything?[/color][/font][/i]

If it is strong enough.

[country pride]

These things dont happen every day to the extent where there is damage. Heck, tremors are all over, not just here and they arent really reported unless theres damage involved. There are other weather or nature related conditions more frequently in other areas. If quakes happened as frequently as some people make them out to, we wouldnt have Calif.

[BagongBuhay]

I've lived through 2 biggies (Whittier & Northridge) and was there for the one in San Francisco later, but like other posters said, you retrofit and prepare. There is hardly a place that you can live in that does not have a fault map underneath you but you can't live your life expecting an earthquake everyday. Most of the damage you will sustain in a well built home is from things falling down, so if you take the proper measures to secure them, you will be fine. You can't think of moving to California and pass up on all the good things about it being in constant fear of earthquakes. Much like brush fire and landslides in certain places, it's just a fact of life there.

[Canine*Castle]

I lived in Burbank, California for 29 years and never even felt a tremor until I was 16. Well, actually there was a quake centered in Tehachapi in 1952, but I was too young to remember that. My folks were a bit nervous during it as we had only lived in CA for less that two years at the time.

Anyway, I was in the 1971 quake centered in Sylmar. It scared me to death and aftershocks for months later made one think, "Is it going to be another big one?" I've lived in Texas since 1978 and I can tell you that worrying about tornadoes is much worse than I ever worried about earthquakes. I'll take earthquake country any day over tornado alley. Even thunderstorms out here are enough to scare the wits out of a person, but the potential of tornadoes is the great "kicker."

[happ]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

I lived in Burbank, California for 29 years and never even felt a tremor until I was 16. Well, actually there was a quake centered in Tehachapi in 1952, but I was too young to remember that. My folks were a bit nervous during it as we had only lived in CA for less that two years at the time.

Anyway, I was in the 1971 quake centered in Sylmar. It scared me to death and aftershocks for months later made one think, "Is it going to be another big one?" I've lived in Texas since 1978 and I can tell you that worrying about tornadoes is much worse than I ever worried about earthquakes. I'll take earthquake country any day over tornado alley. Even thunderstorms out here are enough to scare the wits out of a person, but the potential of tornadoes is the great "kicker."

Interesting. I would have though the opposite \ how often do you experience tornado conditions? I'd love to have some thunderstorms right now b/c California is in quite serious fire conditions Too bad it was dry lightning that ignited these fires.

I also experienced the last few "moderate" quakes. Because of where I live & worked at that time, the Northridge earthquake was the most disturbing during the actual shaking.