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Rush Hour, Beijing, China
Posted on 04/09/2006 8:30:01 PM PDT by NCjim
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - As California recalls the catastrophic earthquake that struck San Francisco 100 years ago, seismologists warn that the golden state's love of cars could turn into a fatal attraction in the quake-prone state.
Elevated freeways, highway overpasses, and garages built under homes are vulnerable to crashing down when the earth shudders, said seismologist Jack Boatwright of the US Geological Survey.
"The automobile culture is really a knife in the heart of earthquake preparedness," Boatwright told AFP. "We are only as strong as our weakest overpass."
Another key weakness is structural, including building code oversights exposed by the deadly Northridge earthquake that struck in the Los Angeles area in 1994, scientists said.
San Francisco is preparing to commemorate the major earthquake that laid ruin to the city 100 years ago on April 18.
Despite that history, significant building code reforms weren't instituted in the state until the 1970s.
While brick buildings and other risky structures have been bolstered, emergency officials concede much of the city would likely crumble in a temblor on par with the 7.8-magnitude earthquake of 1906.
Scores of small earthquakes are logged daily in California. Earthquakes have been embraced as part of the state's identity, with sports teams named after them and jokes made in films and commercials.
A "great strike" earthquake such as the one in 1906 relieves stress built up by jammed tectonic plates, reducing the odds of another temblor at the same spot.
"I don't think we quite have it nailed down, but it would appear the recurrence time for the 1906 event is 200 years," Boatwright said. "So, it looks like we are safe for a while from a recurrence. I'm pretty happy about that fact."
While the chances of another 1906-type quake along the San Andreas Fault in the next 30 years is one in twenty, there are a plethora of other faultlines overdue for trouble.
Rampant development has resulted in cities and communities built on top of faultlines, meaning they would be hit with the full force of shock waves released by earthquakes, according to scientists.
"We are better off than the people were in the Bay Area at the turn of the (20th) century," Boatwright said. "But, there is plenty of risk spread around for smaller events in inhabited areas."
The 1906 earthquake was centered off the coast of San Francisco. Another deadly quake that struck in 1989 was centered in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco.
The Hayward Fault that runs under cities a short distance inland from San Francisco is a "poster child" for seismic hazard because it is due for a major earthquake.
"It will be an enormous mess where the earthquake occurs," Boatwright said. "It's horrifying to think that along faultlines where there used to be farmland you now have Silicon Valley filled with towns."
With all those low riders bouncing up and down it will not be long before the big one!
Its those DAMNED jumping mexican cars.
Fear the government that fears your mobility!
This is why I won't live in a large city. The Los Angeles basin and surrounding cities hold over 15 million people. Wouldn't want to be in the middle of all that during the big one.
And the war against the automobile marches on.
No, Boatwright of the Dept of Geology, it's horrifying to live in a 3rd world country where you don't have enough food to eat, little clothing to wear, a meager subsistence of a life.....but, hey, no one's stopping YOU from moving, to get away from the POSSIBILITY an earthquake MIGHT hurt YOU.
Elevated railways would also come crashing down.
Building skyrises in a disaster area is not wise.
And this is the reason the libs wanna give illegals Drivers Lic.,, right? Figures, don't it?
I always find it funny that people are so scared of earthquakes. I lived through a bunch, including the Northridge one, and they are scary when they happen.
But the slow death that comes from living in a cold climate seems much worse. I'll bet as many people die of exposure from the cold each year as die in a single great earthquake.
I moved from California to Pennsylvania, and I just don't understand why there is still a population in these cold states. I'm counting the seconds until my planned departure to the Philippines in November. It may be third world, but at least I won't freeze next winter.
D
Oh, well, that does it... Let's just outlaw cars and go straight to Utopia. Nitwits. Actually what they probably want to do is just outlaw cars for the little people.
Yep, you'd be MUCH safer in a subway during an earthquake! (rolls eyes)
bump
So, which historical document from 1706 did this alleged seismologist find to base this factoid on?
Californians are fond of saying, "We're overdue for the big one," but no scientist, no psychic, no prophet has ever told us when, precisely, it was due.
So much for earthquake prediction.
Boatwright seems overly concerned about the risks inherent in being in an automobile when an earthquake hits. What if it's on a bridge and the bridge collapses? Or worse, under it?
Well, what if a few hundred people are in a train when the bridge collapses?
Mass transit = mass casualties
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Rush Hour, Beijing, China
Exactly what the left has in mind. For the masses, public transit...and bicycles.
Leaves plenty of room on the road for the limousines serving the Politburo...
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