He said it's not generally known to cause major earthquakes, but it's still on experts' radar. USGS geologist Charles Trexler said the quake’s epicenter was on the Midland fault line, which runs along the Delta. Access our Bay Area Quake Tracker, the latest earthquake stories, extensive quake prep checklists, videos and many other disaster preparedness resources all in one place: NBCBAYAREA.COM/QUAKES You can take steps to plan and prepare for the next big one. If it scoots around too much, it definitely can fall out of the air,' he said. 'It's an asymmetrical lift, so the legs move on there. In Brentwood, mechanic Tim Walizer was working underneath a car 7 feet in the air when he realized he needed to take cover. Everyone just went outside,' a man named Oswaldo said, adding that he received the ShakeAlert on his phone. everything started moving, it caught us by surprise. 'We were preparing our stuff, and we just felt the shaking. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.A 4.2 magnitude earthquake that struck in southern Sacramento County Wednesday morning was felt by many in the Bay Area. More than 10 million people were registered this year in California, and millions more worldwide, according to organizers.Ĭompared to 15 years ago, Benthien said, “many, many more people are getting prepared, practicing earthquake safety each year because of ShakeOut.” Schools, government organizations, companies and others sign up to take part. The drill has since expanded internationally. It’s the type of disastrous quake that experts warn will happen someday - although they can’t say when. The first one was based on a scenario of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the southern section of California’s mighty San Andreas Fault. The ShakeOut drill originated in California in 2008. “We really do recommend that people make themselves a smaller target from those things that cause injuries,” said Mark Benthien, the SCEC communications director and lead ShakeOut organizer. They dropped to the ground again, pretending they were protecting themselves from objects that might be falling or flying around in an aftershock. The event focuses on the “drop, cover, and hold on” mantra for basic personal safety but also includes such measures as passenger trains slowing down for several minutes.Īt the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, volunteers and staff got down low or under tables during the drill, then evacuated the building and did an assessment to make sure everyone was safe. The ShakeOut earthquake drills are coordinated by the Southern California Earthquake Center at the University of Southern California. The quake proved to be weaker than the near-instantaneous initial estimate and no damage was reported.

The tremor triggered a warning from the ShakeAlert system, which detects the start of a quake and sends warnings to areas expected to experience shaking. The real thing happened a day earlier, however, when a magnitude 4.2 quake struck southwest of California’s capital in the agricultural Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta region. Geological Survey said it was likely due to a mix-up in time zones set in the test alert system. PDT with a test alert from the region’s ShakeAlert earthquake warning system that popped onto cellphone screens.įor many, it was the second alert of the day after an errant predawn message hit some phones with a voice message announcing the test. West Coast, the ShakeOut drill began at 10:19 a.m. (AP) - People ducked under desks and tables in California and other earthquake-prone areas around the world for an annual drill held Thursday to practice ways to stay safe during quakes. Business & Finance Click to expand menu.

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