Living in California, the citizens have become no stranger to the many earthquakes. The fault has made historical moments from destroying towns to just having to postpone the World Series. Taking procedures on how to protect yourself from the dangers have been taught since the first year of school. The Imperial and San Andreas fault lines have been causing some trouble for those living on the line.

Over 80 earthquakes have been reported in the past two weeks and around 45 of them were over a 3.0. No injuries were reported during these shakes. The biggest earthquake reported was a 4.9 about 22 miles from Westmorland. The earthquakes reported were around the Brawley seismic zone, small fault lines connected by Imperial and San Andreas fault lines. Some suggest the San Andreas fault line is too far from the Imperial fault line to cause a big earthquake. The largest reported in the Brawley seismic zone ever was a 5.8. People aren’t feeling in danger while living in the zone because it’s a low-risk area. 

Growing up in California, people have learned the necessary procedures to protect themselves since kindergarten. Every year, there’s an annual day called the Great Shake Out where students all over California go through the procedures to remain safe. Nadine Kashou (11) gave her views on earthquake safety, “ It’s important to know how to protect yourself and  others when a sudden earthquake hits.” On the 15th, students will be participating online due to Covid-19. This made many questions come up asking how one might take part in the Great Shakeout. You can properly do the right procedures while staying safe at home explained on the website. Covid-19 has put a halt to the usual shake out procedures, however, “as with any year, you can ShakeOut when and where you want, whether that’s at home, work, school, or perhaps through a video conference with people working or taking classes from home” (www.shakeout.org). All you need is a table to take cover and hold onto until it ends. Other tips are listed on the site for families to go over. Learning how to protect yourself is valuable information when an earthquake occurs as they can be very unpredictable in strength and damage.

Earthquakes have always been a part of the life of a Californian, and so is having safety measures on dealing with the dangers of them. It’s normal for students to talk about how they deal with earthquakes, but to those outside of California, the idea of an earthquake is strange. Being prepared for one at any moment is important as there’s been a recent increase in activity. Protecting yourself and others from harm can save lives especially during a strong earthquake. Remember to keep your head under the table and hold on tight to a table leg or so. Staying alive is your main focus when one occurs.