California earthquake?

[Pinnacle-Project]

Webhead, how's it going out there? I see you posted today so I am assuming all is well for you.

[Webhead]

So here's what's going on. I live in the bay area. More towards the south-east side of the bay. Where I live (in Fremont),... We call it the east bay. The east bay goes from about where I live up into Oakland, Berkeley, etc. Napa is located in the north bay above San Francisco. It's about an hour away from where I live. Maybe 2 hours. Something like that. It's been awhile since I've been up there. Napa is in the Sonoma county. Wine country. This is the area that people based most California stereotypes on. Smug, snobby, rich, hippyish. That sort of thing.

Last night at around 3:30am, a 6.0 earthquake happened. Some quakes rock and others roll. This one was a long roller. Lasted about 20 seconds. I felt it here in Fremont. It woke me up. Felt like I was in a boat rolling over tiny waves. Up in Napa though they got rocked. Problem is, the infrastructure up there is very old. So many buildings in the downtown area didn't make it. 6.0 for 20 seconds is a pretty significant earthquake.

In 1989 we had the big one. That was a 6.9-70 quake. We refer to it as "Loma Prieta". That was the quake of all California earthquakes from any generations that are still alive. It happened during the World Series when the A's were playing the Giants at the Stick. I think it was technically bigger than even the great quake of 1906 in SF. I think the 1906 one was bigger in magnitude but Loma Prieta was much more significant in damage. Anyway, that's probably all debatable. The point is that this recent one is up there with the big boys of earthquakes.

Oh and Loma Prieta was a rocker not a roller.

But yeah, I'm good. Mostly everyone is good. Napa got hit the hardest. Injuries, some lives lost I think. Some buildings crumbled. Lost a lot of good wine. That's about the extent of the damage so far that they know of. It's significant but could've been much worse imo. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency up there. Also Obama has been briefed. So it's a pretty big deal.

My only fear (if I had one) is that this is just a foreshadowing of something bigger. The drought has caused our land to be sooooooo dry. I feel like if a big earthquake happens, it could be even more devastating than it might've normally been. And the dry land is increasing the probability that it will happen. And it feels like the time is coming near for something like that to happen. So we'll see.

[Pinnacle-Project]

And it feels like the time is coming near for something like that to happen. So we'll see.

Does not seem to worry people enough to move away. Not only do they stay, they build their houses on the sides of steep hills and then wonder why they wash away when it rains.

I'm glad you are okay.

[Webhead]

Does not seem to worry people enough to move away. Not only do they stay, they build their houses on the sides of steep hills and then wonder why they wash away when it rains.

I'm glad you are okay.

The problem is, building anywhere on earth is subject to some form of natural disaster. I keep trying to think of where someone can build where they are safe from mother nature. I can't think of anywhere on earth that is safe.

[3fingersalute]

The problem is, building anywhere on earth is subject to some form of natural disaster. I keep trying to think of where someone can build where they are safe from mother nature. I can't think of anywhere on earth that is safe.

Agreed, but some are way more susceptible then others. Here in central PA the last big natural disaster was the flood of 1972, so there hasn't even been one here yet in my lifetime.

[Webhead]

Agreed, but some are way more susceptible then others. Here in central PA the last big natural disaster was the flood of 1972, so there hasn't even been one here yet in my lifetime.

Now that you mention it, the loma prieta earthquake happened 25 years ago. I was 16. Now I'm 41. Seems like just yesterday but it's amazing how much time has gone by. Before that was the great quake of 1906. So these quakes don't even really happen all that often either.

[Muppet]

sounds like it's time for California to break off into the ocean. I hope it can swim. :'D

[Webhead]

sounds like it's time for California to break off into the ocean. I hope it can swim. :'D

That might happen soon. If it does, we are taking the 9th largest economy in the world with us. Too bad for the rest of you.

[northbayteky]

sounds like it's time for California to break off into the ocean. I hope it can swim. :'D

Such a myth. Haven't you heard of the tectonic plates? That's what's holding our continent together and isn't likely to break off and create an island of California.

[slgrieb]

Such a myth. Haven't you heard of the tectonic plates? That's what's holding our continent together and isn't likely to break off and create an island of California.

Of course we've heard of tectonic plates. They are those metal thingies that women in Wagnerian opera wear to cover their boobies. Do you think we are ignorant?