The largest earthquake drill in U.S. history takes place Thursday morning. More than five million Californians are expected to 'duck, cover and hold.' KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
The drill is called
The Great Southern California Shake Out,
and its designed to raise awareness about earthquake preparedness. Scientists say a major earthquake is likely to rock Southern California in the next 30 years.
So at 10 o'clock this morning, everyone who has signed up for the event, pretends a magnitude 7.8 earthquake has hit California.
Ron Lane is with the
county's Office of Emergency Services
. He says 400,000 residents in San Diego County have signed up for the event. He says that's because people are thinking twice about disaster drills.
Lane:
Whether you're talking about the tsunamis, the hurricanes, or the major fires we've had here in San Diego, I think (recent disasters) have heighten people’s awareness. A little preparedness before a disaster occurs can make a big difference on whether your family survives.
Lane is also encouraging residents to take steps to earthquake proof their homes -- such as tying down water heaters, securing bookcases and removing heavy hanging objects.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
For information on what to do before, during and after and earthquake, log onto the Great Southern California Shake Out's website, www.shakeout.org.
