quote: U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Lucy Jones remembers attending an emergency training session in August 2001 with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that discussed the three most likely catastrophes to strike the United States.
First on the list was a terrorist attack in New York. Second was a super-strength hurricane hitting New Orleans. Third was a major earthquake on the San Andreas fault.
Now that the first two have come to pass, she and other earthquake experts are using the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as an opportunity to reassess how California would handle a major temblor.
You couldn't pay me enough to live in CA right now. Or Washington for that matter. I hear Mt. Rainier been acting funny lately.
Posted by John Van Pelt (Member # 5767) on :
That sounds a teensy bit urban-legend-ish, doesn't it? Not that I'm questioning Ms. Jones's memory
An interesting exercise. In a worst case scenario all the houses AND all the highways fall down. So whereas in NO 20% of city residents got stuck in the devastation and couldn't get out, in LA 80% might.
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
That concept has been mentioned a couple of times (even around the 'rack I think). The earliest instance of the article I've seen is one from 12/01/01 in the Houston Chronicle, referring to a report by FEMA earlier that year.
The article is archived here.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Holy crap. It's amazing how close they were to being correct.
I still wouldn't live in CA if you paid me.
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
Well, urban legend or not, as a resident of California, I don't like where that report leads. Even though I'm in Fresno, well away from most major faults, if they get big enough, we feel the quakes here, and have even had some minor damage in a couple of cases.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
If the quakes are a high enough strength- they can be felt all the way into Canda and Mexico probably. New Madrid earthquake from 1811-1812 was like that- it was near Memphis- made the Mississippi run backwards. But that in a major city like L.A. *shudder*
When the ground produces visible waves? In a city- wow.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
As someone famous once said: "Location, location, location."
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Yeah, I suppose those people with property in easter CA would suddenly have beach front property, which would be good, but you'd have to deal with all the refugees, which would suck. Nothing worse than a bunch of liberal yuppies who think they are the center of the universe to ruin your increase property value.
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