Earthquakes: Common myths, and is ‘The Big One’ yet to come?

It’s been days of shaking for Southern California. Videos across the internet show the intensity a 7.1 magnitude earthquake can pack. While a 7.1 is big, seismologists say “the big one” still hasn’t happened.

Emily Brodsky is a seismologist at UCSC. She says, “We actually think it’s possible to get an earthquake all the way from Paso Robles down to the Mexican border.”

Brodsky says it’s possible for California to get an earthquake in the 8.0 scale, which “would be devastating. An earthquake that big would seriously damage Los Angeles and much of Southern California,” Brodsky says.

Though an 8.0 might is just one number bigger, it’s actually much stronger. An 8.0 can put out 10 times more shaking than a 7.0 quake.

While there is a lot of information out there regarding large quakes, there are also a lot of myths. Thanks to Hollywood, people often associate earthquakes with large portions of the ground opening up. While large cracks can form, you won’t see a giant opening in the earth where a house could fall in.

That’s just one myth. Some say pets can actually sense an earthquake before it happens. While it would be really cool if pets could predict quakes, there is actually no scientific evidence to back that up.

Another myth reguards safety. People often say underneath a doorway is one of the safest places to be. Brodsky says the best thing to do is, “Stop, drop, hold on underneath a table,” and wait for the quake to be over.

With all the earthquake activity happening across the state, it just comes to show you never know when they are going to strike. The best thing to do is be prepared, and know the facts.