Earthquake

[Mamabug]

Yes, WayD. You had mire than your share of tornadoes in the Wichita area for a few years. And, because they touched down in the city, instead of in a rural area, they definitely did some damage. I spent those evenings in my basement. Wichita is only 30 miles from where I live.

The tornado that I remember the best was the Hesston one in 1990. That was only seven miles away, and did kill two people.

I'm the one who said I've lived in KS 30 years and have never seen a tornado. I still stand by my statement that I'd rather live in tornado country than earthquake. Sorry that you had the misfortune of living in Wichita during the years thsy you lived there. There was the Andover one in 1991; I forget the other one that caused damage. Probably in 1992? Then there was the one in Greensburg in 2007. None in the town I live in though.

[KatW]

We are noticing lots of earthquakes in the North Texas area too. This is very new for us. Hopefully, they stop and do not get any worse.

[palmtree]

After the calculations were done, the 1994 Northridge earthquake was a 6.7. (The follow-up investigations showed that the 8.0-ish was a myth started by conspiracy theorists.)

There were about 60 people killed. Tragic, but, unlike with tornadoes, it was still only one rare occurrence, not something that happens regularly, every year.

I'd rather feel the earth move under my feet.

Thanks for the correction. I accidentally added a point. It was first estimated 6.9, then on the front page of the LA Times it said 7.0. The down grade was down played. We learned from that earthquake that many other factors can contribute to damage than the Rector Scale. That quake was directly under Northridge, very close to the surface and the frequency of the shaking caused a resonant frequency. Certain parts of the city such as Sherman Oaks and Santa Monica suffered major damage because the tremors resonated with the soil in such a way that it behaved like jello.

I could go on and on. The bright side is that after a disaster like that everyone can enjoy the windfall of FEMA money. I even got commissioned to help rebuild a Catholic Church.

A few basic precautions can improve the chance you will survive a quake. Don't hang and pictures or mirrors over your bed. It's better to keep bedrooms free of clutter that could fly and hit you. Strap your water heater, anchor bookshelves and big pieces of furniture to walls. Keep flashlights with fresh batteries where you can easily find them.
Keep a good supply of bottled water. Know how to turn off the gas unless you have an automatic shut off valve. Keep the gasoline tank full in your car in case you need to get out of the city. Have some canned food on hand. Stay away from electric wires.

Many people run out of their houses. That's not really the safest thing to do. If you live in a house built with a wood frame you will be pretty safe. If you are scared about this, you might research your local building codes to see if they have earthquake codes. If you live in an area where tornados could hit, your building codes should be pretty strict. Most buildings are built to withstand both vertical and lateral loads. Vertical loads are usually a result of gravity. Lateral loads are usually for wind. To design for an earthquake, the building has to be designed so it can endure forces coming from all directions.

If earthquakes are starting in Kansas, maybe you want to be one of the first to make your home more earthquake worthy. If it gives you peace of mind it's worth it.

Most important: DONT PANIC.

[Mamabug]

...
If earthquakes are starting in Kansas, maybe you want to be one of the first to make your home more earthquake worthy. If it gives you peace of mind it's worth it.

Most important: DONT PANIC.

So far, earthquakes are starting in Oklahoma, over a hundred miles away, and only felt very lightly in KS. Peace of mind isn't currently an issue. It was actually somewhat of a novelty, rather than scary, since we weren't in any danger.