What can I expect in my house when an earthquake occurs? How do I identify it? What can be done?
The contents of your home may be damaged and can be dangerous:
- Shaking can make light fixtures fall, refrigerators and other large items move across the floor, and bookcases and television sets topple over. IDENTIFY: Look around your house for things that could fall or move.
- Ask yourself if your cupboard doors could fly open (allowing dishes to shatter on the floor).
- Is TV and stereo fastened down and are shelves fastened to wall? Do you have hanging plants that might fall? Is there a heavy picture or mirror on the wall over your bed?
WHAT CAN BE DONE: You can install door latches, braces and fasteners to fix most of these hazards yourself.
Related Content
Why should people in the eastern U.S. be concerned about earthquakes?
What are the Great ShakeOut earthquake drills?
ShakeOut GIF showing what to do in an earthquake if you are near a sturdy desk or table. (Public domain.) The Great ShakeOut earthquake drills are based on scenario earthquakes that could effect the area if they were to actually take place. Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills are an...
What is the "Triangle of Life" and is it legitimate?
What do I do AFTER an earthquake?
What can I do to be prepared for an earthquake?
What emergency supplies do I need for an earthquake?
What should I do DURING an earthquake?
What should I NOT do during an earthquake?
The HayWired Earthquake Scenario—Earthquake Hazards
The HayWired scenario is a hypothetical earthquake sequence that is being used to better understand hazards for the San Francisco Bay region during and after an earthquake of magnitude 7 on the Hayward Fault. The 2014 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities calculated that there is a 33-percent likelihood of a large (magnitude 6.7 or...
Detweiler, Shane T.; Wein, Anne M.
UCERF3: A new earthquake forecast for California's complex fault system
With innovations, fresh data, and lessons learned from recent earthquakes, scientists have developed a new earthquake forecast model for California, a region under constant threat from potentially damaging events. The new model, referred to as the third Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, or "UCERF" (http://www.WGCEP.org/UCERF3),...
Field, Edward H.
United States Geological Survey (USGS) Natural Hazards Response
The primary goal of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Natural Hazards Response is to ensure that the disaster response community has access to timely, accurate, and relevant geospatial products, imagery, and services during and after an emergency event. To accomplish this goal, products and services provided by the National Geospatial Program (NGP)...
Lamb, Rynn M.; Jones, Brenda K.
Understanding risk and resilience to natural hazards
Natural hazards threaten the safety and economic wellbeing of communities. These hazards include sudden-onset hazards, such as earthquakes, and slowly emerging, chronic hazards, such as those associated with climate change. To help public officials, emergency and other managers, the business community, and at-risk individuals reduce the risks...
Wood, Nathan
Putting down roots in earthquake country-Your handbook for earthquakes in the Central United States
This handbook provides information to residents of the Central United States about the threat of earthquakes in that area, particularly along the New Madrid seismic zone, and explains how to prepare for, survive, and recover from such events. It explains the need for concern about earthquakes for those residents and describes what one can expect...
Contributors: Dart, Richard; McCarthy, Jill; McCallister, Natasha; Williams, Robert A.
Recovering from the ShakeOut earthquake
Recovery from an earthquake like the M7.8 ShakeOut Scenario will be a major endeavor taking many years to complete. Hundreds of Southern California municipalities will be affected; most lack recovery plans or previous disaster experience. To support recovery planning this paper 1) extends the regional ShakeOut Scenario analysis into the recovery...
Wein, Anne; Johnson, Laurie; Bernknopf, Richard
PAGER--Rapid assessment of an earthquakes impact
PAGER (Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response) is an automated system that produces content concerning the impact of significant earthquakes around the world, informing emergency responders, government and aid agencies, and the media of the scope of the potential disaster. PAGER rapidly assesses earthquake impacts by comparing the...
Wald, D.J.; Jaiswal, K.; Marano, K.D.; Bausch, D.; Hearne, M.
The ShakeOut Scenario
This is the initial publication of the results of a cooperative project to examine the implications of a major earthquake in southern California. The study comprised eight counties: Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura. Its results will be used as the basis of an emergency response and preparedness...
Jones, Lucile M.; Bernknopf, Richard; Cox, Dale; Goltz, James; Hudnut, Kenneth; Mileti, Dennis; Perry, Suzanne; Ponti, Daniel; Porter, Keith; Reichle, Michael; Seligson, Hope; Shoaf, Kimberley; Treiman, Jerry; Wein, Anne
Monitoring earthquake shaking in federal buildings
Çelebi, Mehmet; Page, Robert A.
Putting down roots in earthquake country: Your handbook for the San Francisco Bay region
This handbook provides information about the threat posed by earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region and explains how you can prepare for, survive, and recover from these inevitable events. If you live or work in the region, you need to know why you should be concerned with earthquakes, what you can expect during and after a quake, and what...
The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program - investing in a safer future
Filson, John R.; McCarthy, Jill; Ellsworth, William L.; Zoback, Mary Lou; Stauffer, Peter H.; Hendley, James W.
Progress toward a safer future since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
Page, Robert A.; Stauffer, Peter H.; Hendley, James W.
Are You Ready to ShakeOut on October 19?
Do you know what to do the moment the ground starts shaking? Drop, Cover, and Hold On!
Los Angeles will have the nation's toughest earthquake safety rules
Los Angeles will have the nation's toughest earthquake safety rules
ESC Seminar: HayWired Scenario Progress Discussion
ESC Seminar: HayWired Scenario Progress Discussion
Congressional Briefing -- Citizen Science and Earthquakes: Reducing the Risk Through the Power of People
In the United States, 1 in 4 people live with the risk of earthquakes. The U.S. Geological Survey and its partners are designing innovative tools to better detect earthquakes and share critical information. The involvement of citizens is key, as decisions made before and immediately after an earthquake can save lives and protect property.
Earthquakes? Don’t Freak Out--ShakeOut!
What if you knew that a magnitude 7.8 earthquake would happen in less than three weeks? In a new video interview, USGS earthquake scientist Dr. Lucy Jones explains that millions of Southern Californians will be preparing as if they do know, thanks to the Great Southern California ShakeOut.
Earthquakes claim 709 lives in 2007
At least 709 deaths resulted from earthquake activity worldwide in 2007, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and confirmed by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
2004 Deadliest in Nearly 500 Years for Earthquakes
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 2004 was the deadliest year for earthquakes since the Renaissance Age, making it the second most fatal in recorded history, with more than 275,950 deaths reported from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26.
PubTalk 1/2018 — ShakeAlert: Path to West Coast EQ Early Warning
Title: ShakeAlert: The Path to West Coast Earthquake Early Warning ... how a few seconds can save lives and property
- The ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system will begin limited operations this year.
- Alerts could save lives and properties but several challenges remain.
- With millions at risk, why isn't full public alerting happening yet?
Damage from South Napa Earthquake
Damaged unreinforced masonry building on Main Street in downtown Napa, California. Photograph credit: Erol Kalkan, USGS
2014 South Napa Earthquake in California
Pavement buckling and tented sidewalk resulting from the South Napa Earthquake. Photograph credit: Thomas Holzer, USGS
PubTalk 8/2014 — Ground Shaking in '89 Loma Prieta Quake: 25 yrs later
by Brad Aagaard, USGS Research Geophysicist
- What factors controlled the variability in ground shaking in the earthquake?
- Will the ground shaking in future earthquakes display similar patterns?
- Hear about the advances made in recording ground shaking over the past 25 years.
- Learn how USGS uses this information
House Damage from 2011 Oklahoma Earthquake
House damage in central Oklahoma from the magnitude 5.6 earthquake on Nov. 6, 2011. Research conducted by USGS geophysicist Elizabeth Cochran and her university-based colleagues suggests that this earthquake was induced by injection into deep disposal wells in the Wilzetta North field.
Northridge, CA Earthquake Damage
Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Marina District, San Francisco, after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake
Ground view of collapsed building and burned area at Beach and Divisadero Streets, Marina District, San Francisco, following the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. At 5:04:15 p.m. (PDT), the magnitude 6.9 (moment magnitude; surface-wave magnitude, 7.1) earthquake severely shook the San Francisco and Monterey Bay regions. The epicenter was located at 37.04° N.
...
Apartment in Danger of Collapse
Entrance and garage level of a Beach Street apartment complex in danger of collapse, Marina District.
1906 San Francisco Earthquake - Damage with Family in Foreground
Composite photo of 1906 damaged buildings and modern family in foreground
House Damage from 2011 Central Virginia Earthquake
Damage to a house in Louisa County, Virginia, after a magnitude 5.8 earthquake on August 23, 2011.