Earthquake country, like it or not


Denial is one of the most powerful tools we humans use to protect ourselves in a world full of the inevitable. And why not?

If we were to dwell on all that could go wrong, or on the things we know certainly will—our own mortality for instance—life would be very bleak indeed.

We take comfort in the blinders we put on. But even if we submit that the Big One will come and there’s little we can do about it, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be at least a little bit prepared.

For all that it offers—from its idyllic coastline to its picturesque mountain ranges—California is a geographic region that sits precariously upon two tectonic plates. Along the coast is the Pacific Plate and inland is the North American. While the Pacific Plate is shifting toward Canada, the North American Plate is inching south. Scientists say the land masses are moving at about the same rate as fingernails grow.

Between the two is a system of fault lines. Perhaps the most well-known (thank you, Hollywood, for your disaster movies) is the San Andreas Fault, which cleaves its way through the state like a spiderweb that grows out of control.

Michio Kaku, an American physicist and university professor whose books address the many forces of nature and how they manifest themselves, says that in any given year there is a 3% chance for a massive earthquake in California, and that between now and 2049 there’s a 100% chance of one occurring.

“It’s inevitable,” Kaku said during a recent talk show interview, one of many he’s done since the July 4 Ridgecrest earthquake.

So faced with this inevitability we have two options: ignore it or plan for it.

Our state legislators have taken action by passing regulations that require hospitals to be built or reinforced to withstand a large earthquake. Sacramento laws also demand that earthquake mitigation measures be put into place during the construction of all new homes; and some cities are calling for older apartment buildings with shaky underground parking structures to be retrofitted.

We all know that when a major disaster strikes—look no further than the recent wildfires—first responders do their best to come to our rescue but often get overwhelmed. It’s up to each person to be as best prepared as possible.

It sounds repetitive to say be prepared, and it’s easy to live in denial. Perhaps there’s some solace in doing so, but if you’re sticking your head in the sand when it comes to taking steps toward earthquake preparation, we can guarantee you’ll be up to your neck in trouble.