Preparing for an Earthquake: What You Can Do to Stay Safe - ABC News

Preparing for an Earthquake: What You Can Do to Stay Safe - ABC News

Click above and please learn what you can do to be prepared for an Earthquake. Many people do not realize that there are other areas of the USA outside of the west, where a major earthquake can happen. Even New York City is very vulnerable for a major quake. Apathy and overconfidence can lead to injury and death that should not have happened. So please learn what you can do to protect yourself, your family and c0-workers. At the very least, have at least two weeks of contained water on hand. I have blogged this before, and will again.

On another note, I had a dream about being in an nasty earthquake during a nap, and woke up, checked for quakes, and indeed there was a 4.4 mag earthquake south of Mexicali, Mexico. It was centered just a few miles south of the Cerro Prieto volcano, and as you can see from it's waveform, it sort of looks like the tail of a pissed off cat. Very often, that kind of waveform can indicate a volcanic earthquake. I'm not saying that it is volcanic, but it is indeed very close to where there is a magma chamber. Also of note about the location, is that about a year ago, on Apr. 3, there was a swarm of moderate quakes, including one measuring 4.2. The next day there was 7.2 a few miles south of this swarm! It was one I most certainly felt! My question is such: Is today's 4.4 and it's fellow quakes precursors to another large quake, or are they volcanic in nature - or just aftershocks?

To leave scientific questions a moment, and to sound not very geological for a second: I've noted in my records that a couple of my Native American friends told me that they have had terrible dreams of an offshore earthquake just off of Santa Catalina Island, and a nasty tsunami that does intense damage to Los Angeles and San Diego. They both stated that this can happen soon. I am not going to have an opinion on that, for I am simply going about my daily life recording and noting the things around me. But indeed these statements are in my notes. They are interesting.

One thing in my notes and photos, is the fact that about a week ago, during our last cold snap, I and others noticed flocks of many seagulls flying in unusual patterns and v-shaped patterns over Palm Springs, which is a desert community more than a 100 miles east of the pacific ocean. Gulls are known to frequent the Salton Sea to south, but I have never seen such gull behavior here in the desert before. I also spotted many swallows circling just below the many circling gulls.

It's always good to tune into the subtle things the natural world is doing.

My admiration and thoughts on the Japanese people continue, and I hope that they get a handle on the reactor that's giving them so much trouble. I'm very worried about it, and wonder how much info the government and media is really giving us. A pal of mine indicated that Denver, CO, has reported high levels of radiation. I cannot confirm the truth of that, or refute it, only can make a note of it.

I'm trying to think out some kind of plan on where I should be, but don't want to totally leave behind all the investment I put into my business, and think that I should simply haul it inland, and stay stateside. Some folks I know have fled the US. There's a lot of fears of radiation and other things right now. I have invitations to go overseas, to stay in the Alps, but I would have to ship my business. I just invested in it's tools and equipment! A decision and action will happen when I feel it's right.

Japanese Futuristic Vision - A Post Quake Story

It has been a couple of weeks since the unbelievable earthquake off Japan, and the two resulting and horrible events after; the tsunami and nuclear crisis. My thoughts have been on the people of Japan all along, and in earlier blogs, I have indeed mentioned those thoughts and calls to donate and help the earthquake-tsunami victims. Please find the donation post and donate.

The shock and scientific awe is still there, but now I feel I can blog a little bit. I want to blog positive, and that is why the delay is saying anything, to give the tragedy time to have it's attention.

The Japanese people I have faith in. We have all seen how calm and organized they have been, even in the face of a confused and un-communicative government. That I admire and embrace indeed! I do so, while also knowing that globally we're in a time in history when all the veils that leadership has worn is falling away. World wide there are protests, whether misguided or on the spot ... but they are a cry of a humanity that is burned out on the veils of deceit, illusion, false scarcity and ineptitude of our leaders. Many people, the world over, are almost at a state of hysteria has they violently protest and fight. Meanwhile, the Japanese do bring their government's slow action into question, and they rise their brow - and then simply carry on, stoic and efficient, calm and repairing.

What's going on right now globally, both human and geologic, has me completely rapt. I'm scared, saddened, curious, awestruck, amazed, wanting to help, questioning and looking for solutions.

Not to be too dramatic, but to drive a certain point home - as I write this, radiation has been measured in tiny traces 50 miles from where I am right now. The place where radiation has been detected is Riverside. California. I'm not really worried for myself, but my worries are indeed for those living much closer to the nuclear plant in Japan. Absolutely.

Come on, Japanese Government, could you please start to tell the truth on the reactor situation? Step up to the plate, and do so in all honesty and service to the people - globally.

Here's my first post on what I see as Japan's bounce back after this unbelievable 9.0 mag event: First of all, I see a very quick repair of roads and runways.

The fast repairs have already started taking place, and even in leveled towns, there are streets carved out of the piles if wood, broken buildings, silt, mud and ruined cars. Some main highways and roads are now repaved and smooth going is places. Impressive.

One year from now, outside any nuclear dead zone, Northern Japan will have cleared all the debris, tested it for radioactivity, let some of the isotope infused material to sit out a month, as much of the half life of the nuclear fallout may well be that. Once the nuclear pollution has eased, much of the debris will be recycled. This recycled material will not be exported, but will be used to repair the damaged or destroyed local infrastructure. Much of the material and rubble will go into road building material. That is my educated guess.

Two years from now and earlier: I see buildings going up that are very innovative and sustainable. Japan experiences a dreadful energy challenge, with no oil resources of it's own - and so there is a strong motivation to rebuild in a sustainable manner. We will see passive energy buildings, those with climate control that requires a minimum of energy. Right now, NASA Aimes is applying a sustainable program at their research campus at the old Moffet Naval Field in Mountain View, California.

We will see a sea of wind generators in the Northern Japanese rebuild zone. Much of the sustainable energy generation systems that we here in the USA have innovated and experimented with, will indeed be perfected and applied in Japan. We may will see buildings using white roofing as a measure against global warming via the reflection of sunlight, individual homes with solar and wind turbines, and vertical wind shafts as a measure against sumer heat. These wind shafts can be seen in North Africa, and are ages old! But today, we can take the old and make it effective and new. The Japanese are good at that kind of thing.

we're going to see more public transportation in place, on high rail systems, with advanced magnetism driving motors, a thing long overdue.

The coves of Japan may never be re-settled, unless there is in place a quick escape system that goes beyond a mere tsunami warning system that's in use today. But more than likely, these cove communities will rebuild on the surrounding higher ground, on solid bedrock, and will have in place an advanced tech means of moving goods and people upslope without spending too much energy.

More to come on that!

Meanwhile, locally and on a much smaller scale. we have had a 3.4 mag event at the Salton Buttes Volcano today, along with a few other quakes. This 3 plus mag event seems to have happened near a possible magma pipe that is still hot.

Here's a USGS link to it:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/ci14958332.html

RADIOACTIVE CLOUDS Identified - DON'T PANIC, JUST STAY INDOORS AND EAT CANNED FOOD AND SEALED STORED WATER

Also, keep in mind that it is often said that eating lot's of canned oily fish such as herring and drinking red wine can battle moderate amounts of radiation. This is up to your own judgement, and is simply a suggestion. Sounds good to me! Eat lot's of sea salt too.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3067317/Red-wine-can-protect-against-radiation.html

Why We Need More Education on Geology

Still trying to take in what happened in Japan, and now studying earthquake preparedness. I'm putting together a note on how we can best be prepared for these events. It'll take some time, as my work load right now is a bit much.

First thing is first: Have at least two weeks of water per person in your household, in a strong container far from anything that can fall on the supply. Do the same for non-parish food. Have a flashlight and slip on shoes by your bed too. Do not have heavy objects over your head where you sleep. Those are the very basics. More to come as I organize some information.

Today I donated to the Red Cross Japan, and encourage you to do so. Just click on the Red Cross link next to this text box, or Google the Red Cross.

Here is an article explaining why we need to be more educated on earthquakes and geology.

http://networkedblogs.com/fpNYK

Crescent City Tsunami and Spectacular Battle Boat v.s Waves

This tsunami and it's dangers and death expanded thousands of miles, and actually killed a man in California. Here is some amazing aerial footage from above. Very scary.

PLEASE HELP THE JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

JAPAN EARTHQUAKE HELP SOURCES:

The earthquake in Japan left me speechless for right now, other than thinking of ways to help the wonderful Japanese people. I can't even go on about geology and such right now. I'm simply blown away at the sheer magnitude of this one, and then the aftereffects. It's deadly tsunami even reached the California coast, just where I was, and it did millions of dollars of damage thousands of miles away from the epicenter of the quake! This thing is huge, and there may be yet more large scale after effects.

Anyways, let's focus right now on urgently helping our fellow human beings in Japan. Please do so. Here are some links.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/11/pf/japan_earthquake_relief/index.htm

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.1a019a978f421296e81ec89e43181aa0/?vgnextoid=f9efd2a1ac6ae210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

And here is a people locator. If you know people in Japan, or know of friends that do, please spread this people locator around so that they know about it.

http://www.good.is/post/google-people-finder-ushahidi-crisis-mapping-software-launched-for-japan-earthquake/

Please help! Thank you!

PLEASE HELP THE JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

JAPAN EARTHQUAKE HELP SOURCES:

The earthquake in Japan left me speechless for right now, other than thinking of ways to help the wonderful Japanese people. I can't even go on about geology and such right now. I'm simply blown away at the sheer magnitude of this one, and then the aftereffects. It's deadly tsunami even reached the California coast, just where I was, and it did millions of dollars of damage thousands of miles away from the epicenter of the quake! This thing is huge, and there may be yet more large scale after effects.

Anyways, let's focus right now on urgently helping our fellow human beings in Japan. Please do so. Here are some links.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/11/pf/japan_earthquake_relief/index.htm

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.1a019a978f421296e81ec89e43181aa0/?vgnextoid=f9efd2a1ac6ae210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

And here is a people locator. If you know people in Japan, or know of friends that do, please spread this people locator around so that they know about it.

http://www.good.is/post/google-people-finder-ushahidi-crisis-mapping-software-launched-for-japan-earthquake/

Please help! Thank you!

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Maps/US2/24.26.-110.-108.php

We've got a moderate quake on the sea of Cortez as well of the horror in Japan. It's minor unless it's a precursor to further activity. This is an active rift zone.

We're in a period of many strong earthquakes, and perhaps why.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/03/12/big_quake_is_latest_in_cluster_that_began_in_04/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/03/crescent-city-harbor-destroyed-people-swept-into-sea.html

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/03/tsunami-advisory-long-beach-residents-monitor-water-levels.html

We have a series of quakes near Los Mochis, Mexico, too. Just now!

SIDE NOTE:

The sun is at maximum with a massive solar storm a couple of days ago.

http://ds9.ssl.berkeley.edu/viewer/flash/flash.html

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/10/major-solar-flare-erupts-make-auroras-visible-northern/?test=faces

more to come!

Take care

Tsunami Warning for Hawaii and Western Continental Coastal USA

I'm paying attention to the ongoing event that's going on, and will blog later. All I can say at this time is that I was on the San Diego, CA coast, had left it. I far inland.

Oddly: There has been a severe photon maximum of the sun, and Jupiter and Saturn are at opposite ends of the solar system form each other, and now, this event which is still going on.

If you live in any Pacific area coastal community, please click here and go to higher ground, and do not panic. Just clear low lying areas. I will blog more later, but right now my head if too full of info as this unfolds. Overwhelming.

Please take heed. If told to leave your home, go to higher ground.

http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/2011/03/11/lhvpd9/06/messagelhvpd9-06.htm

A Creep of Micro-Quakes up Both Sides of the Coachella Valley

California-Nevada Fault Map centered at 34°N,116°W

A few days after the strange crossed pattern of micro-quakes south of Palm Springs in the Imperial Valley and around the Salton Buttes Volcano, some very small micro-quakes have happened over the last 24 hours in the Coachella Valley, the valley where rests Palm Springs. These are 1.0 to 1.5 mag, and are located on each side of the narrow rift generated valley. On the north side of the valley is the famed and powerful San Andreas Fault.

These micro-quakes you'll see as blue dots at the north west of the large body of water and just south east of Palm Springs, and in Palm Springs itself as one 1.0 mag in downtown.

The San Andreas starts at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea to goes for 700 miles to north. It's associated system goes even farther! Some say to the Yukon, while others note a branch that veers west goes to the Midway Islands. The San Andreas is a transform fault spun off by the 7000 mile long Mid-Oceanic Ridge and it's rift zone to the South, one ending at the Salton Sea, and extending south for thousands of miles before veering west, near Antarctica on one branch. It is all this interconnectivity of this fault that I find compelling.

7.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Japan

Asia Region

The map above shows a 7.2 earthquake just off the Japanese north eastern coast. This quake generated a tsunami advisory for the northern coast of Japan, but was not issued for any other coasts. The advisory listed a small tsunami if any at all. Some people in Tokyo felt it, saying that it lasted 30 seconds, and at this time no damage is reported there. There as been no damage reported anywhere yet. Here is an article on the quake.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/earthquake-rocks-japan-20110309-1bnif.html

Cadillac Cat Style

Cadillac Cat Style: "Cat style indeed! They've got it down. They know. Shot with Nikon F1, 1/120 F5.6, normal lens, no filter, handheld, cloudy day."

One of my old 35 mm film shots! Nostalgia...

Series of Strong Earthquakes off of Oregan

Earthquake swarm at Clear Lake volcano, CA

earthquakes off of the Oregon coast.

Map Centered at 42°N, 125°W

Right now, there is a series of moderate to strong earthquakes off the coast of Oregon. They are still going on, and within the last couple of hours, a couple more have happened. I don't know what to make of this swarm of large quakes. The area where this is going on is indeed prone to strong quakes and swarms. On a large scale, this is an area where a oceanic tectonic plate is sinking under a continental plate, and there is a spreading zone is to the west of this. Eventually that rifting zone will too be swallowed up by the subduction, and the geology of Oregon and Washington may will resemble that of present day Southern California over millions of years.

California's geology reflects an old subduction zone that melted deep down in the hot mantle, causing the numerous plutons that eventually became the great granite ranges such as the Sierras. The subduction zone ended with the swallowing up of a mid-oceanic ridge at the west end of the plate that was subducted. That swallowed rift zone kicked off the split off of Baja California from mainland Mexico, and created the Sea of Cortez. That spreading zone activity extends up into the Salton Trough today, and many feel that the split will extend up the eastern side of California, splitting California from Mainland USA. This could happen in about 10 million years. A narrow sea will make up Eastern California then.

All this may sound pretty complicated, but I will bring in illustrations of this in due time.

This is that California rifting that I am passionate about!

On another note, the swarm of micro-quakes continues at the Clear Lake volcano, just north of Santa Rosa. CA. There are many small events in just the last 24 hours.

Also, there is a very large volcanic eruption going on on the Big Island, in Hawaii. It had just started today, and is the largest for quite some time.

Intersting Micro-Quakes Continue in Imperial County

The recent activity in Imperial County are drawing strait lines perpendicular to each other. They are creating patterns very much like those in the Mid-oceanic Ridge just south, in the Gulf of California or otherwise called the Sea of Cortez. My eye is perceiving without true scientific data, a rift zone pattern in these very recent micro-quakes. Again i ask, what is going on with these pressures right now?

More Micro-Quakes at Salton Buttes Volcano

California-Nevada Fault Map centered at 33°N,116°W

Just a quick update, today we're having quite a few micro-quakes around the Salton Buttes volcano, and one just off of Bombay Beach, CA. Bombay beach is where the San Andreas fault is believed to end or dive deep underground. If you click on my overall blog, and look at some photos I posted of the area about a month ago, you'll see what that area looks like. It's a pretty stark and yet a dramatic place, and I suggest visiting it. During this time of the year, there are a lot of wild seabirds, for these flyers like to use the briny Salton Sea as a watery stopping point. I've seen eagles, egrets, geese and giant pelicans. I've been many other types of birds too! Bring your telephoto lens! If you are really curious, bring along your i Seismo app, set your i Phone down on a shaded part of Obsidan Butte or at the mub pots, and you may witness some mild movement on your seismogram!

California-Nevada Fault Map centered at 33°N,115°W

California-Nevada Fault Map centered at 33°N,115°W

My local beloved volcano has just had activity; an interesting array of micro-quakes. Super heated water or other material is most likely on the move. My gut feeling, way outside of science is that there is an extension of the Mid Pacific Rift that is seeking a way north east, through Landers and Death Valley, to find a path to eventually split California. The Salton Trough and and the Imperial Spreading Zone may very well be a part of this.

Strange Line of Micro-quakes in the Imperial Geothermal Volcanic field

We just had a 3 point plus just north of here, in the Landers area, and I felt it slightly as a house creak and very mild vibration. Not much really. What really peaks my interest is the strange line of micro-quakes in Imperial County. This is an area of a lot of normal seismic activity as well as hydrothermal and volcanic activity. A line of micro-quakes like seen on this map pops a few questions to my mind. Is this just some adjustment along the existing transform fault there, or is it movement of super heated water or other material? Are these micro-quakes a sign of shifting seismic strain? Is there a transition of strain from one fault system to an adjoining one, such as the San Andreas Fault system? These are good questions to think about. We had a couple of days of relative quiet, here in Southern California, and now we're having some interesting activity. It's not a big deal, but it interests me because I'm always curious about the rifting zone just south of me.

Continued Yellowstone Micro-Quakes and Tremors in Arkansas

Map Centered at 44°N, 111°W

We are still having some micro-quakes at the Yellowstone volcano, and also some light earthquakes in central Arkansas.

What is of some interest, but not really dramatic, is a pair of small tremors centered on top of each other on the west lava dome at Yellowstone.

Southern California is quiet for the most part, and not too much to report other than a tiny tremor or two at the Salton Buttes volcano.

My heart goes out to the increasing victims of the Christchurch earthquake.

4.5 Mag Earthquake Amidst Quake Swarm Near Clear Lake Volcano, CA.

California-Nevada Fault Map centered at 39°N,123°W

Geysers. Ca, near a USGS known volcano, has had a 4.5 mag earthquake and a swarm of smaller quakes before and after the 4.5. It is near a lake that local Native Americans call a 'bottomless' lake, and this lake is actually a collapsed caldera. It is called Clear Lake, and is just north of Santa Rosa, California and the San Francisco Bay Area, about two hours south.

I have seen quake swarms in this area a lot, but this is a bit stronger than usual.

This is an area famous for it's hot springs, and a geothermal experimental powerplant that has recently been shut down - due to fears that drilling and pumping water into the geothermal field may cause earthquakes. Obviously, this latest quake swarm is not due to that drilling and pumping. Or is it?

Often this drill induced quake argument is applied to the Cerro Prieto Geothermal field south of Mexicali, Mexico, but often those voices pointing out the possible risks of drilling and pumping are hushed up.

The area around Cerro Prieto is also volcanic, and is a part of a rifting zone - the same spreading zone that the Salton Buttes volcano sits on. Like Geysers, the area around Cerro Prieto has a good many earthquake swarms and last April had a 7.2 mag quake. Geysers has not had a quake of that magnitude, recently, but does have many quake swarms. Geysers' quakes are very localized within a mile or two, while the quakes around Cerro Prieto is very widespread over tens of miles. Unlike Cerro Prieto, Geysers is not thought to be a part of a rift zone.