Tag Archives: Berkeley earthquakes
Preparing for the Big One: Berkeley neighbors do the drills
Did you get a little more ready for the Big One on Saturday? Did you join in Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) across Berkeley in disaster preparedness exercises? The Vermont Avenue North Neighborhood Association did. Here they are in action, photographed by Nancy Rubin.
Berkeley city: No truth to viral email predicting quake
UPDATE 4:07 pm: Genie Stowers, the professor who sent out the original email issued an apology this afternoon by email. Here it is:
Last week, I sent out an email to family and close friends and colleagues about recent earthquakes.
My intent was to pass on a message that they should take the occurrence of these recent earthquakes as an opportunity to make sure their earthquake kits and other emergency measures were up to date.
It is unfortunate that this email instead went viral and has caused great concern among many in the Berkeley area.
My message was not intended to be a commentary on earthquake science, on City of Berkeley preparedness, or on anything else except that folks should get ready. The message was intended to be, preparedness is good.
I apologize for what has happened and the concerns this caused. It was a mistake and I regret that it happened.
Genie Stowers
…………………………….
An email that has gone viral that predicts an imminent quake on the Hayward fault is causing widespread concern in Berkeley, but city officials say its premise is false.
The email, which began spreading on Friday, says that geologists have told Berkeley officials that the recent spate of small earthquakes suggest that there will be a 6.0 quake or higher on the Hayward Fault within the next two to three weeks.
City officials have not been specially briefed by geologists, and there is no way of predicting earthquakes, numerous city officials told Berkeleyside.
“I have not received any briefings,” said City Councilmember Gordon Wozniak. “In addition, I do not believe that anyone knows how to predict the precise time an earthquake will happen on the Hayward fault. Thus, I would not give credence to such rumors.”
Here is the email that has gone viral:
“A student in my class tonight works in Berkeley City Hall and they have been getting briefings on the earthquakes recently in Berkeley on the Hayward Fault by geologists. … Continue reading »
Quakes: All you wanted to know but were afraid to ask
Last week’s series of earthquakes in Berkeley had Berkeleyans, including Berkeleyside readers, all a-twitter about the possible significance of the rash of tremors, their concentration and location. We spoke to geophysicist Paul Caruso at the National Earthquake Information Center to sort out fact from fiction.
What can you tell us about the recent quakes centered in Berkeley?
The magnitude 4:0 quake [which was felt at 2:41 pm on Thursday October 20] was followed by several aftershocks in the area of rupture over the next few days as the earth tried to come back into equilibrium. Aftershocks are defined as being smaller than the original quake.
Some Berkeleyside readers said they thought a series of small quakes was a good thing because it indicated a “release of pressure” on the Hayward fault line; others said it indicated a “build-up to a big one”. Are either of these ideas valid?
Both are legitimate theories. The truth is we don’t know whether earthquakes like these are relieving pressure or whether pressure is building. … Continue reading »
3.3 earthquake halts BART
A magnitude 3.3 earthquake, with its epicenter near Richmond, was felt in Berkeley this morning at 9:35 a.m. As a matter of routine, BART trains were halted to check for structural damage.
Cori Kesler, a resident of northwest Berkeley, said she felt two rumbles. “You know how bigger earthquakes feel like a truck hit your house?” she asked. “This one felt like a Mini hit the house.”
If you felt the quake, you can add your … Continue reading »
Gear up for the Big One with help from friends
The basement below Barrows Hall was buzzing with activity this morning, since it served as the command center for UC Berkeley’s annual campuswide disaster drill. At University Health Services Tang Center, volunteers simulated having injuries ranging from abrasions to a severed arm, allowing the clinic staff to practice triage and treatment.
The university police and fire departments and hazardous waste teams also established command centers on campus. … Continue reading »
Get ready for that disaster
Don’t just sit there. Do something.
By that I mean get ready for a disaster. Today is “Do Something Day” put on by the Berkeley Disaster Prep Neighborhood Network. The group is encouraging Berkeley residents to take time from 9 am to noon to prepare for our next natural disaster.
From their website:
We are asking that all of you do SOMETHING to prepare yourself, your family, your neighborhood to respond to an earthquake. It does not … Continue reading »
Cal building rated very seismically hazardous
An extensive report by California Watch has highlighted the work that still needs to be done by the University of California to make many of its building seismically sound.
In Berkeley, one occupied building stands out as being particularly unsafe: 2111 Bancroft Way, a five-story, steel-framed building with reinforced masonry bearing walls (above), has been given a “very poor” rating. This, the reports says, means that “during a major earthquake, this structure would experience extensive … Continue reading »
