I noted somewhere the other day that the Ring of Fire was getting sparky, but wasn’t expecting an 8.8 off Kamchatka. Fact is, there are many small earthquakes every day, some in areas that people don’t think get earthquakes. Most are either deep enough or small enough that only seismologists notice them. Some faults, like the New Madrid, only seem to have a major event every few hundred years. Others, well, go off quite frequently, at least in geological terms.
When talking preparedness, I don’t focus on the almost infinite number of things that can happen, but in the types of damage they can do. Other than following earthquake building codes and suggestions when building structures, there’s not a lot you can do. I will note that some of the same things that help houses and other structures deal with high winds and tornadoes can help with mitigating structural damage from an earthquake, as they help a bit with flexibility and holding things together against unusual stresses.
My understanding is that you need a combination of flexibility and stability to avoid major structural damage. Of course, in some cases, there is not a lot you can do. Soil geology at the surface plays a large roll on how the seismic waves “act” on things. In the New Madrid quake some areas had the soil essentially “liquify” resulting in things in the ground shooting up (such as caskets) and things on the surface (like houses and other structures, going down almost without a trace.
Unlike weather phenomena, earthquake prediction is far more art than science. It’s being worked on, but we’re not there yet. So, it’s going to hit with little or no warning — which means your preparations have to be on reaction rather than being pro-active. It’s a different bit of planning, and if near the coast you should have a bug-out plan not only made but ready to go on zero notice for tsunami events, and elsewhere the same given that widespread fires can break out, dams fail, etc. Figure routes are likely to be clogged, and plan accordingly.
One of the more novel, and potentially very effective for the actual quake itself, was the tethered hot air balloon Daryl Dragon (the Captain of Captain and Tennille) allegedly had behind their house. If things were bad, launch and wait for things to settle down before coming down. Not sure if it was true or not, but seem to recall he talked about it in an interview or two. Fact is, if you could go up (or were up) when it hits, and stay up a while, it would allow you to miss the worst of things. At least initially.
On a more serious note, I am going to be interested to see what comes out in regards Petropavlovsk in the next few days. Between the earthquake and tsunami waves, it will be interesting to see what can be seen in regards the Russian Pacific Fleet, other bases, and the nuclear storage facilities. In particular, you do have to wonder how the subs tied up alongside — especially the boomers — fared. So far, not hearing of much damage but it’s well worth keeping an eye on.
Finally, in terms of preparedness, earthquakes are one of the reason to keep digging and demolition tools handy. There are a number of things that could leave one’s safe space covered in debris. Always be prepared to dig out, pry things up and over, or if possible jack or brace things so they don’t come down any further. Shovels, axes, pry bars, saws, jacks, rope, etc. are good to have around anytime, but may be even more appreciated after a quake.
Keep in mind that the Midwest really isn’t that well prepared for the New Madrid to pop off again. Building codes most places really don’t include earthquakes, and other mitigation actions aren’t there. The last time the New Madrid really kicked off, it was felt as far east as New York, a massive lake was formed in Tennessee, and portions of the Mississippi ran backwards for a time as plates were forced up. I may have to look for something I wrote about this years ago, as the area has built up so much now that a major event will devastate a good part of the center of the country.
Nor are the San Andreas and the New Madrid all we have to worry about. So, don’t think that because you are not in California you have nothing to worry about from a quake or quakes. As always, preparedness pays.
As always, keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark — even if the earth is moving (and not from a happy thing).
Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.