Elsa Blaine
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 Great Southern California Shake-Out Southern California residents are gearing up for an earthquake in the likes of the recent devastating tremor in China. A new report released from the US Geological Survey and the California Geological Survey warns of the inevitability of a 7.8 magnitude quake along the San Andreas fault and the resulting deaths of thousands and $200 billion in damage. The study has resulted in what is being called, “The Great Southern California Shake-Out”, scheduled for November 12-16, 2008. The ‘Shake-Out’ will be the, “country’s largest-ever earthquake preparedness exercise,” and will include, “the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history.” The report says Southern Californians “have the opportunity to work together to write this ending . . . through the decisions they make—or don’t make—to get ready for earthquakes.”  The scientists prepared a hypothetical model in which the quake occurs on Nov. 13, 2008, at 10 a.m., starting near the eastern shore of the Salton Sea and traveling northwest along the fault at two miles per second. A narrative, much like a movie script, depicts the "realistic outcome" of the quake.
The temblor would disrupt the movement of goods to and from major ports; manufacturing plants would halt production and face additional costs to transport goods out of the region; and hundreds of older commercial office buildings would crumble.
"Businesses forced to close have a domino effect," the report says, "and as the chances diminish for regaining jobs or finding new ones, more and more people are struggling to rebuild their lives."
The report predicts that financial institutions would face a growing number of loans in default as businesses collapsed and individuals gave up on recouping their losses. Competition for building materials and construction crews would be fierce. Widespread fires caused by the quake and disruption of water, power and gas supplies would add to the economic toll.
(latimes)References: shakeout.org, latimes 5 Comments: on Earthquake Predictions |
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