Twenty-four earthquakes hit the Southland. Signs of the Big One?

By Jonathan Tamayo

Missing Call Letters

There’s been a slew of minor earthquakes the last couple of months and this morning there was a whopping 24 quakes recorded near the Salton Sea with a magnitude of 4.8, including one that could have caused moderate damage. 

The scary part isn’t that there were 24 earthquakes within a 15 minute period, but that it comes at a time when scientists are watching to see if small faults are transferring energy to the more dangerous San Andreas Fault,  inevitably causing the Big One.

The quakes occurred early this morning around 5 am. The epicenter was 3 miles south of Bombay Beach and 90 miles east-northeast of San Diego, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. 

Geologist Graham Kent of UCSD told the LA Times that scientists are particularly interested in this area because an earthquake that starts in Bombay Beach in Imperial County and ripples northwest along the San Andreas fault could be the Big One that devastates Los Angeles.

Superstition Hills Fault, 1987

Scientists are worried because this happened back in 1987. A 6.2 magnitude quake on one of the crossing faults appeared to trigger a 6.6 quake 12 hours later on the Superstition Hills fault to the south.  At the same time however, the last time a swarm of quakes like these occurred was in 2001, so they are not that unusual.

Scientists do not yet know if quakes this small can trigger anything dangerous on the San Andreas, but either way, it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on your earthquake safety skills.

Here’s a link to a previous blog post on the subject and some tips below. 

Safety Tips

I haven’t had an earthquake safety drill since around the 5th grade, so it’s not a bad idea to take a refresher course.  If the Big One is coming, we (and your kids) might as well be prepared. 

Inside - Let’s start with the basic techniques of duck and cover. If you’re indoors duck or drop down to the floor.  Find cover under a sturdy desk, table, or other furniture, cover your head with one hand,  and hold on to it with the other.

Be prepared to move with it too. Stay in that position until the ground stops shaking and its safe to move. Make sure to stay clear of windows, fireplaces, wood stoves, and heavy furniture or appliances that may fall. 

Outside - If you’re outside during the quake, find a clear area away from any tall buildings or anything that can fall on you. Look out for power lines too. No one likes getting electrocuted.

Driving - If your driving stop if it is safe and try to avoid any bridges, overpasses, tunnels, trees, light posts, power lines, etc. Move your car as far out of the normal traffic pattern as possible and stay in your vehicle. 

Mountains - If you’re in a mountainous area look out for unstable slopes and cliffs; be alert for falling rocks and other debris that may be headed your way.

Beach - If you’re at the beach, move towards higher ground. Some areas in Southern California now have Tsunami warning signs. No joke, it’s possible.  You can read more about it here. 

Also, don’t forget to have an evacuation plan and store enough food and water for your family.

FEMA recommends you keep at least 1 gallon of water per person per day and prepare for a 72-hour period. 

Keep a supply of non-perishable food on hand like dehydrated food, powdered milk, and canned juices.  Spam, tuna dried cereals and fruits, and non-salted nuts are good for storage and nutrition as well. 

Other things to have handy: a flashlight, can opener, batteries, first-aid kit, fire extinguishers, medicines, important documents, and a change of clothes. 

You can find a more detailed list of essentials and safety tips from FEMA here.

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